PORT OF LOS ANGELES AND CALTRANS ANNOUNCE
COMPLETION OF $51 MILLION HARBOR FREEWAY
ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS IN WILMINGTON
Reconfigured Ramps and Roadways to Reduce Congestion,
Improve Traffic Flow in L.A. Harbor Area
WILMINGTON, Calif. – June 20, 2016 – Today officials from the Port of Los Angeles and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), along with Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, marked the official grand opening of the newly configured I‑110 (Harbor Freeway) access ramps in Wilmington. The completed construction project—which also includes key roadway modifications—is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and ease-of-merging on and off the freeway, and reduce congestion at a key, multi-point intersection near Port terminals.
“Traffic congestion is a major concern in many areas of Los Angeles, and can be very frustrating for both residents and businesses,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who represents Wilmington and San Pedro. “We’re really excited to finally re-open these redesigned ramps and key intersection in Wilmington, which will help relieve some peak-hour traffic bottlenecks in this busy West Basin area.”
The completed improvements include reconfiguration of the C Street northbound off-ramp to provide direct access to Harry Bridges Boulevard (formerly known as the C Street exit); modification of the C Street northbound on-ramp; realignment of Harry Bridges Boulevard and John S. Gibson Boulevard; and combining of the existing Harbor Freeway ramp/C Street/Figueroa Street intersection with the existing John S. Gibson Boulevard/Harry Bridges Boulevard/Figueroa Street intersection.
“One of the Port’s main priorities continues to be improvements in our infrastructure, and that includes roadways around the Port,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Reducing congestion and improving traffic flow is a win-win for business, as well as residents and commuters who regularly travel this route through Wilmington.”
The Wilmington roadwork and ramp announcement comes on the heels of the $46 million connector improvement project in San Pedro, recently completed by the Port of Los Angeles in collaboration with Caltrans’ District 7. The latter involved the widening of the SR-47 (Seaside Freeway) connector to I-110 with an additional lane, and modifying the freeway ramps at John S. Gibson Boulevard.
“Caltrans partners with the Port of Los Angeles in getting freight to its final destination, and this interchange ensures that our vital goods movement is sustainable well into the future,” said Caltrans District 7 Director Carrie Bowen.
Funding for the $51 million project included $6.65 million from Metro; $8.3 million from the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund; and $5.9 million form STPL-STP federal funds. The remaining project costs were funded by the Port of Los Angeles.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovatively strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $270 billion in trade during 2015. Port operations and commerce facilitate more than 133,000 jobs (about one in 14) in the City of Los Angeles and 479,000 jobs (or one in 18) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support nearly 1 million California jobs and 2.8 million nationwide.