Hollywood Freeway Closures Set

On two upcoming weekends, major portions of the Hollywood Freeway will be closed near Lankershim Boulevard for a late-night demolition project to remove an offramp and overpass.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Caltrans will demolish the Ventura Boulevard offramp of the Hollywood Freeway to build a six-lane replacement that will include a new ramp traveling directly to the new Universal City Metro Red Line subway station.

The closures will be:

* May 13-14: All northbound lanes of the freeway will be closed at the Ventura Boulevard offramp, close to the Lankershim offramp, from midnight Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday.

The detour will take motorists off the freeway at Lankershim, where they will travel through the Metro Rail station area and back onto the freeway.

* May 20-21. All southbound lanes of the freeway will be closed near the offramp and overpass from midnight May 20 to 9 a.m. May 21.

The detour will take traffic off the freeway at Vineland Avenue, travel along Ventura Boulevard and then back onto the freeway.

“The demolition of the offramp and overpass will last two weekends,” MTA spokesman Rick Jager said. “But the construction will take a year.”

The MTA has held meetings to inform area residents and businesses of the closures and the demolition work, which will include use of a hydraulic hammer. Notices also will be sent in the mail, Jager said.

When the new ramp is completed, it will include left lanes for Ventura Boulevard and right lanes to go directly to the Red Line subway station, Jager said.