Countywide : Road Work Ahead: Freeway Lanes Close

Weekend commuters will discover this morning that Caltrans has closed some of the busiest freeway lanes in the county.

If the state Department of Transportation’s efforts go according to plan, the northbound Costa Mesa Freeway connector to the northbound and southbound Santa Ana Freeway will have been closed at midnight Friday for interchange reconstruction work. The connector will be closed until 11 p.m. Saturday.

Caltrans recommended that motorists traveling to the southbound Santa Ana Freeway exit at 17th Street, turn left, enter the southbound Costa Mesa Freeway and then transition to the southbound Santa Ana Freeway.

Drivers headed for the northbound Santa Ana Freeway are also urged to exit at 17th Street and turn left, but then continue for about two miles to the northbound Santa Ana Freeway ramp.

Caltrans also intends to close the northbound Costa Mesa Freeway off-ramp at McFadden Avenue and the Edinger Avenue on-ramp between noon and 11 p.m. for re-striping.

Also, the northbound Costa Mesa Freeway’s No. 3, or “outside,” lane will be closed between Edinger Avenue and the Costa Mesa-Santa Ana freeways interchange between noon and 11 p.m., also for re-striping.

Changeable message signs will be activated during the closures.

The late closure notices were due to sudden schedule changes by contractors in the field, officials said.