Officials consider toll lanes on 405 Freeway to relieve congestion

LOS ANGELES - Officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority were set to propose a plan that would implement toll lanes on the 405 Freeway along the Sepulveda Pass with the intent to ease congestion for commuters. 

A reported $1.6 billion was spent widening a 10-mile stretch of the freeway between the 10 and 101 freeways. Now, those carpool lanes could be turned into toll lanes, and for a price. 

The plan would allow for two toll lanes in both directions and the price would fluctuate depending on demand. 

One Los Angeles resident told FOX 11 she liked the idea.

“It could be a good thing. The money could be used for something good,” she said. 

Another commuter said she felt the toll lanes would worsen traffic conditions.

 “I don’t think they should do it. There’s so much traffic…we sit in so much traffic from here to Inglewood for two hours. Why would you make it even worse by making people pay for toll lanes?”

MTA officials also said the plan would take years of environmental studies and additional years for construction. 

The soonest the proposed toll lanes could go into effect is in 2027, just in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics.