Slater Avenue bridge in Fountain Valley to close this week for demolition as part of 405 Freeway project

The Slater Avenue bridge over the 405 Freeway in Fountain Valley will close this week so it can be demolished and rebuilt as part of a larger freeway widening project.

Workers will shut the span at 1 a.m. Friday, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority. The bridge is expected to remain closed to all vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists for about a year.

While the bridge is closed, the following detours will be available for drivers, according to OCTA:

• Northbound Bushard Street to eastbound Warner Avenue to southbound Brookhurst Street to eastbound Slater Avenue
• Southbound Bushard to eastbound Talbert Avenue to northbound Brookhurst to eastbound Slater
• Northbound Brookhurst to westbound Warner Avenue to southbound Bushard to westbound Slater
• Southbound Brookhurst to westbound Talbert to northbound Bushard to westbound Slater

Demolition of the Slater Avenue bridge is scheduled to begin Sept. 29. To accommodate the work, the 405 will be closed in both directions from about 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets.

Work is expected to continue the night of Oct. 6, with the same time and freeway closure.

The Slater bridge is the second of more than 18 that will be built, replaced or widened as part of a $1.9-billion project to expand a 16-mile portion of the 405 between the 73 Freeway in Costa Mesa and the 605 Freeway near Rossmoor.

The McFadden Avenue bridge in Huntington Beach and Westminster was demolished last month.

When the overall 405 project is finished in 2023, both directions of the freeway in the affected stretch will have an additional general-purpose lane and a new “express” toll lane, according to officials. The existing carpool lane in both directions will be converted to an express lane.

For additional information about the project, visit octa.net/405improvement.

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