Caltrans last week broke ground on a project to construct new bus/carpool lanes on the Golden State Freeway (I-5) between the Hollywood Freeway (SR-170) and the Buena Vista Street interchange in Burbank. The $69.2-million project is financed in part ($39.3 million) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Security Paving, Sun Valley, is the general contractor on the project.

The project includes the construction of nearly 9 mi (4.4 mi in each direction) of new bus/carpool lanes (HOV) and repair damaged pavement on one of the most heavily traveled freeways in the state, Caltrans says in a press release. The section on I-5 between SR-170 and Buena Vista Street has an average daily traffic volume of nearly 200,000. The project is expected to be completed by fall 2014.

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority contributed $22.6 million of Prop C funds to the project.