The Los Angeles Times reported that a key Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee has approved a $4.5-billion plan to expand the 710 Freeway -- including the construction of four elevated truck-only lanes
-- to help ease container traffic from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.
However, the authority has a budget deficit approaching $50 million. The state government with fiscal troubles of its own has frozen funding for new freeway and transit projects. Planning and construction for projects already underway are being delayed across California.
Last month, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that the Port of Los Angeles had passed New York's JFK International Airport as the busiest international gateway based on dollar value of freight.
According to the L.A. Times, funding could come from a variety of sources, including the federal government, truck-lane tolls and container fees. But even if financing became available, it would be at least a decade before groundbreaking could begin because of the time required for environmental reviews, engineering and design.
The MTA plan calls for building two exclusive truck lanes, with elevated portions, in each direction between the ports and the rail yards to the north. Up to two regular lanes would be added in each direction, so the corridor -- most of which has either three or four lanes in each direction -- would have 10 car lanes in all. Thirteen interchanges would be reconfigured.