Gorman – The California Department of Transportation will implement on July 29 at 10 a.m. a new bypass lane on the southbound Golden State Freeway (I-5) between Frazier Mountain Park Road and Gorman Road. The bypass lane will remain in effect through August 29, 2013, while crews pave the two right lanes and shoulder of southbound I-5.

The southbound I-5 on-ramp to Frazier Mountain Park Road will also be closed July 29 through August 29, 2013. A detour will be posted directing motorists to use Peace Valley Road to access southbound I-5 at Gorman Road.

Bypass Lane Configuration: The inside lane of northbound I-5 has temporarily become a southbound lane at all times from Frazier Mountain Park Road to Gorman Road, a distance of about 2.7 miles. A temporary concrete barrier separates the southbound and northbound lanes.

This configuration allows three traffic lanes in each direction to remain in use while work is underway on the two outside southbound lanes and will reduce the duration of the project.

Motorists traveling in the left lane of southbound I-5 should prepare for the lane shift as they approach Frazier Mountain Park Road.

This work is part of a project that is replacing slabs in both directions of I-5 between the Vista Del Lago Road overcrossing and the Kern County Line, a distance of 15.4 miles.

This $100.1 million project, which will be completed in mid-2015, will extend the life of the pavement, reduce maintenance costs and closures, and provide a smoother ride for motorists. The contractor is Griffith/Coffman Joint Venture of Brea, Calif.

Closure information for this and other freeway projects is available on the Caltrans website: http://www.lcswebreports.dot.ca.gov/lcswebreports.