The repaving work through the Sepulveda Pass takes another weekend out of the 405, and this round removes the connector many Valley drivers use to get south.

Caltrans has reduced the southbound 405 to two lanes through the pass, with closures running from 10 p.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Monday. Intermittent work began Friday.

What is closed

The lane reduction on the southbound 405 sits between the 101 connector and the southbound 101 to 405 connector, the stretch that carries traffic over the hill toward the Westside.

Four ramp and connector closures come with it:

  • The on-ramp from Burbank Boulevard to the southbound 405.
  • The off-ramp from the northbound 405 to Getty Center Drive.
  • The connector from the northbound 101 to the southbound 405, closed entirely.
  • The connector from the southbound 101 to the southbound 405, reduced to one lane.

Caltrans has also dropped the speed limit to 55 mph in certain northbound and southbound sections.

The closure of the northbound 101 connector is the one worth planning around. Drivers coming through the Valley on the 101 and heading for the Westside cannot use the direct connector at all, and the southbound 101 connector that remains open is down to a single lane.

After the weekend

The work does not stop when the freeway reopens Monday morning. Caltrans has nightly closures scheduled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Friday next week.

Getting around it

Caltrans has not published a specific detour for this weekend, advising only that drivers leave extra time and find alternate routes.

In practice, the pass offers few options. Sepulveda Boulevard runs parallel to the freeway and is the natural surface alternative, though it absorbs the overflow every time the 405 is restricted and slows accordingly. Anyone with the flexibility to cross the hill earlier in the evening or later on Sunday will have an easier time of it than those attempting it at peak.

For trips that do not strictly require the pass, going around is often faster than sitting in it. Traffic heading downtown or toward the eastern side of the basin can use the 101 without touching the closed connectors.

Before setting out, the live picture is worth a look. Caltrans QuickMap publishes real-time lane closure and delay information, and closure schedules are routinely adjusted for weather or operational reasons, so the plan on Saturday night may not hold on Sunday afternoon.