The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced that new High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV, or carpool) lanes are open to motorists on Northbound and Southbound Interstate 5 between the Ventura Freeway (State Route 134) interchange in Los Angeles and Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank.

With the opening of this new 2.7-mile-long segment of carpool lanes, there remains only one final segment to complete in Burbank before motorists have continuous HOV lanes stretching more than 18 miles on I-5 from State Route 134 to State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) near Santa Clarita.

The final 2.2-mile link is under construction in Burbank between Magnolia Boulevard and Buena Vista Street. It is scheduled for completion by early 2022 including a new I-5 Burbank Boulevard bridge and interchange.

Carpool lanes on I-5 in Los Angeles County are constructed jointly by Caltrans and Metro (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) with funding from federal, state and local sources. The contractor is Security Paving Co., Inc., headquartered in Westlake Village.

Caltrans reminds motorists to drive safely and be aware of the I-5 construction zone in Burbank where a 55-mph speed limit is enforced. Traffic fines are doubled in construction zones.

Information about construction of I-5 HOV lanes in Los Angeles County is available at the project website My5LA.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/My5LA.

Caltrans urges motorists to “Slow for the Cone Zone” and “Be Work Zone Alert.”