Mammoth $2 billion 405 Freeway project completes with express lanes opening

The drive between Costa Mesa and south Los Angeles County on the 405 Freeway just got a whole lot faster — if you’re willing to pay the toll.

New express lanes on the 405 in northwest Orange County are finally open after almost five years of construction, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority. The lanes debuted Friday morning, as part of the I-405 Improvement Project, aimed to ease congestion on one of the most heavily trafficked highways in the nation.

The new express lanes, which run between State Road 73 in Costa Mesa and Interstate 605 at the L.A. County border, can be accessed for free by some carpoolers or require a variable toll for solo drivers, depending on distance and the hours of travel.

It is mammoth freeway project, costing more than $2 billion.

Cars accessing the express lanes are required to use a FasTrak transponder, which track use of the special lanes and can be purchased online.

For the first three years, the express lanes will be free for vehicles with two or more occupants during non-peak hours, while vehicles with three or more passengers can always use the tolled lanes for free, according to pricing information reported by the Orange County Register. Peak hours are from 6 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 7 p.m. weekdays, and on weekends 1 to 7 p.m.

On average, tolls will cost drivers $3 to travel the entire stretch of the express lanes, but solo drivers could pay as much as $9.95 during peak hours, the Register reported.

The $2.16-billion improvement project, much of which was funded by a voter-approved tax measure, stretched across 16 miles of freeway that, on average, sees 370,000 vehicles a day, according to transportation officials. In addition to the express lanes, the project added one regular lane for traffic in each direction to help ease congestion. The project also improved onramps and offramps and reconstructed 18 bridges, many that now include sidewalks and bike lanes.