The yearlong headache that has plagued drivers traveling from Long Beach ends this weekend when crews reopen a busy ramp on the westbound 22.

Long Beach, California at night
Long Beach, California at night (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Seventh Street Bridge carries about 300,000 vehicles a day from the northbound I-405 and the westbound 22 into Long Beach.

Morning traffic has continued at a normal pace despite the closure of the ramp. According to plans, the ramp will reopen at 5 a.m. on Saturday.

The bridge was destroyed and rebuilt to make more space for the new carpool lanes on the 405.

For most travelers, this is a welcome relief. Alberto Campos, who drives from his house in Long Beach to the USC campus in Irvine, the reopening of the bridge will help with his commute.

“It added 15, 20 minutes to my commute,” said Campos, 31.

Long Beach officials were afraid that there were be a significant increase in traffic congestion, when the overpass closed last April.

“In a matter of the first couple of weeks, people started learning the detour routes and that (street) congestion went away,” said Steve Bos, with the city’s engineering bureau.

The traffic planners worked to minimize potential impacts by synchronizing the traffic signals to keep traffic moving on surface streets. The Orange County Transportation Authority gave the city of Long Beach $1.5 million for street improvements, including another lane on Westminster Avenue.

Commuter Jordan Molina, 34, travels from Orange County to Long Beach City College and said that the closure was a huge inconvenience.

“When it was open, it was easy to get to where you were going. But, when it closed, you had to take a lot of detours,” Molina said.

The work was part of a $277-million project that attempted to address the traffic at the intersection of the I-405, the 22, and the I-605 come together. The project connected the carpool lanes so that motorists don’t have to leave them when changing freeways.

If you are in an accident, you need support. AA-Accident Attorneys provides their clients the expert legal help to win results. You can feel confident that the Orange County car accident lawyer who represents you knows your concerns, and the issues you face with crowded roads, freeways, and highways that can lead to automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and truck accidents. The car accident lawyer knows these issues from the inside and out—as legal professionals and as citizens who share the road and live in our communities.

AA-Accident Attorneys serves clients in many locations across the United States, and has personal injury lawyer to represent you in San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange County, San Fernando Valley, Ontario, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Las Vegas.