On Thursday night, July 2, crews will shift traffic from the existing Carmenita Road bridge, to the new bridge which has been constructed alongside the original structure. While crews restripe lanes of traffic to align with the new bridge, Carmenita Road will be closed to through traffic over the I-5 freeway, between Excelsior Drive and Firestone Boulevard, from 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2 to 5 a.m. Friday, July 3. The new bridge will include two northbound and two southbound lanes. The traffic shift will include temporary changes to the traffic pattern at the intersection of Firestone Boulevard and Carmenita Road; motorists exiting southbound I-5 at Carmenita will only be permitted to turn right on Carmenita Road or continue straight on Firestone.
In addition, the intersection of Excelsior Drive and Carmenita Road will be temporarily closed while the new northbound Carmenita off-ramp is constructed. Finally, the northbound I-5 Carmenita Road off-ramp will be temporarily reconfigured. Motorists that exit northbound I-5 at Carmenita will be directed to turn right on Excelsior Drive, left on Spring Avenue and left on Pumice Street to access Carmenita Road. Next week a stand-alone eblast will be sent including maps to illustrate the new configuration of the Carmenita Road bridge and the temporary reconfiguration of the Carmenita Road intersection at Firestone Boulevard and the temporary detour of traffic from the northbound I-5 Carmenita Road off-ramp.
Following the opening of the new bridge, nighttime demolition of the old Carmenita bridge is scheduled to begin Friday , July 10 and will be ongoing through Saturday, July 18. Bridge demolition will require nightly full freeway closures on northbound and southbound I-5. More detailed information will be provided before the work is conducted.
