On October 12, the north side of the Skirball Bridge was demolished as part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project. Only one side is being demolished at a time, allowing only one lane of traffic to flow in each direction. Construction on the bridge is anticipated to end sometime in May 2011.

In early 2011, the Mulholland Bridge is set to be demolished.

The end result of this project is to reduce existing traffic congestion by adding a 10-mile carpool lane to the 405 freeway from Sunset Boulevard until Ventura Boulevard. This process requires the demolition and replacement of the Mulholland, Skirball, and Sunset bridges.

Most days, the construction takes place between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM, resulting in closed on- and off- ramps at that time. Fortunately, the schedule of the closures does not interfere with carpool hours. In addition, if any work does occur during the day, it will not prompt any freeway closures.

Many of the construction projects were postponed for a few months due to a delay in the Sunset Bridge construction.  The south side is currently being reconstructed and is predicted to be completed in seven months at the end of January. Once that side is finished, the other side will begin reconstruction.

Ron Macias, community relations officer for the project, has been working with the school to help make the construction as convenient as possible in correspondence with many of Milken’s activities, such as Back-to-School Night and other nighttime events.

Since construction began, parents, students, and teachers have expressed concerns. Almost every morning, the line of cars on the southbound Skirball off-ramp, takes so long to move that it has forced many carpools to leave an extra 15 to 20 minutes earlier than usual.

Additionally, some of Milken’s buses have been arriving late to school and returning students home later.

“I now have to leave my house five to ten minutes later to avoid waiting in traffic at the Skirball exit ramp,” Ariella Kattler Kupetz ’12 said.

For updates and more information on the project, go to http://www.metro.net/405.