Caltrans held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Pacoima on Thursday to mark the completion of two projects that together add 16 miles of new lanes to Los Angeles County’s carpool lane system. The projects will increase safety, ease traffic congestion and improve travel times, saving motorists about a minute per mile.

“Interstate 5 is the backbone of the state’s freeway system and an important part of our economy,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “The improvements will benefit residents, commuters, commercial vehicles and California as a whole by improving mobility in this important corridor.”

The $223.4 million carpool lane project on Interstate 5 between State Route 170 and State Route 118 began in September 2010. The project was partially financed ($31.2 million) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). An additional $25.1 million came from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by California voters in 2006.

In addition to almost seven miles (3.4 miles in each direction) of new carpool lanes, the project constructed a new northbound SR-170 to northbound I-5 connector and a direct carpool lane connector at the I-5/SR-170 interchange, which enables motorists to transfer between freeways without leaving the carpool lane. The contractor is Flatiron West of San Marcos.

The second project is a $99.8 million carpool lane project on I-5 between SR-170 and Buena Vista Street in Burbank that began in March 2011. The project, which was financed in part ($39.3 million) by the Recovery Act, constructed almost nine miles (4.4 miles in each direction) of new carpool lanes. The contractor is Security Paving of Sun Valley.

“These projects are encouraging commuters to carpool and use transit, which helps reduce traffic congestion and gasoline consumption, and improves air quality in the San Fernando Valley,” said Caltrans District 7 Director Carrie Bowen. “This is just a taste of things to come. By 2019, we will complete two additional projects that will extend the carpool lanes in both directions all the way to the Ventura Freeway.

“Investment in our infrastructure is greatly needed as we strive to improve the flow of traffic along this congested corridor,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “Metro is proud to be a financial partner providing $241 million towards these HOV lanes. Completion of this work not only extends the life of this highway but also goes a long way towards the revitalization of the I-5 community, enhancing air quality and providing a safe ridesharing experience.

I-5 in the San Fernando Valley is one of Southern California’s busiest freeways with an average daily traffic volume that can exceed 300,000. Carpool lanes carry two to three times more people at peak traffic hours than conventional lanes. Currently, there are 554 miles of carpool lanes in District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties)

To date, over $18 billion in Proposition 1B funding and approximately $2.6 billion in Recovery Act funding have been put to work statewide for transportation purposes.