Coldwater Canyon Avenue to close for a month beginning Saturday

Drivers who traverse the hills between the Westside and the San Fernando Valley are bracing for long detours as Coldwater Canyon Avenue closes for a month beginning Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

In the evenings and on Sundays, one lane in each direction will be open. The rest of the time, the road will be completely closed between Mulholland Drive and Ventura Boulevard.

The closure is necessary for workers from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to replace a 99-year-old water pipe. The road will reopen April 26.

Area residents and schools, include Harvard-Westlake, are receiving special access permits, the DWP said in a release. The main construction zone is from Dickens Street to Hacienda Drive.

The exact hours of the Coldwater Canyon Avenue closures are Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“This is a vitally important project to ensure the continued safety and reliability of our drinking water,” Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian said in the news release. “I know how difficult it will be to drive through the area during this time, which is why I would urge all of us to find alternate routes during construction.”

Since March 9, drivers have not been allowed to turn left from Coldwater Canyon Avenue north or south onto Ventura Boulevard. That restriction will continue through the construction period.

City officials suggest the following alternate routes, or taking the Metro: Cahuenga Boulevard/Highland Avenue; Laurel Canyon Boulevard; Beverly Glen Boulevard; Sepulveda Boulevard; 405 Freeway.

To receive email updates about the project, click “Get Updates” at www.ladwpnews.com. Select “City Trunk Line-Coldwater Canyon Construction” in the sign-up form.

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Twitter: @cindychangLA

cindy.chang@latimes.com