The I-405 Improvement Project is now completed with all lanes open to traffic
December 5, 2023
OHLA USA’s management and project team members, together with OCTA, Caltrans, government representatives, and key stakeholders celebrated the opening of the new 16-mile segment of the I-405 Interstate with a dedication ceremony in Costa Mesa, California.
OHLA USA is the lead and managing partner of OC 405 Partners responsible for performing the contract to design and construct the I-405 Improvement Project. The effort has added one new general-purpose lane in each direction and a second lane in each direction that combined with the existing carpool lanes to create the 405 Express Lanes along the corridor between State Route 73 and Interstate 605.
Key elements of the project, which stretches from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County line, include a total of 18 bridges that were demolished and reconstructed, many with new sidewalks and added bike lanes. The project team added ramps, upgraded drainage, and relocated utilities, in addition to constructing and installing hundreds of retaining and soundproofing walls. The massive undertaking was one of the most significant infrastructure contracts underway in the western United States.
“We are thrilled to be here today to celebrate this significant milestone,” said Daniel Ruiz, OHLA USA’s CEO. “The event is a testament to the dedication and commitment of many important contributors, especially our clients, OCTA and Caltrans, and the OC 405 team that worked tirelessly to prioritize safety and community convenience to complete this contract that has paved the way to a faster future for the traveling public.”
The project met many sustainability objectives including the recycling of 710,000 tons of concrete, which was reused for the base layer of the new lanes. In addition to reducing emissions, the effort will improve travel reliability by eliminating bottlenecks, resulting in fewer traffic delays. It is estimated that commute times will be reduced by half for nearly 400,000 daily drivers.
OHLA USA, Inc.
OHLA USA has been active in the western United States since 2013. Since that time, the company has performed numerous construction contracts for clients such as Caltrans, Orange County Transportation Authority, the City of Los Angeles, LA Metro, the City of San Diego, and the San Diego County Water Authority. Currently, the company is performing ten projects in the West Region including the I-5 North County Enhancements Project in Santa Clarita, Hamner Avenue Bridge in Norco, and the SR 71 project in Pomona.
U.S., a strategic market for OHLA
OHLA opened for business in the U.S. market in 2006 and operates in New York, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Florida. The company is involved in major contracts such as the Purple Line Light Rail project in Maryland, a design-build services contract in Brooklyn, NY for accessibility upgrades at the historic Borough Hall Station, improvements to renew five stations on the Flushing Line in Queens, NY, and the South Corridor Bus Rapid Transit project in Florida.
The company is ranked 13th in the top 20 contractors by sector (Transportation) and 17th in the top 50 Domestic Heavy Contractors, according to Engineering News-Record.