Congressman Sherman Praises Success of 405 Expansion on Four-Year Anniversary

Sherman Oaks – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA), who worked with former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and others in securing federal funds for the new northbound lane on the 405, issued the following statement on the four-year anniversary of the opening of the new lane:

"The success of this project is clearer than ever. With the growing population in Los Angeles and low unemployment, there are now more cars on the road than ever before. If we hadn't built the lane, travel through the Sepulveda Pass would be far worse. A study from 2015 showed that without the new lane, motorists would spend 6,000 more hours each day creeping through the Sepulveda Pass."[1]

"The people of Los Angeles voted to increase the local sales tax to finance dozens of projects, most notably the Sepulveda Pass subway. This project can be built sooner with an infusion of federal dollars. If President Trump is truly committed to improving America's infrastructure, I can think of no greater place to start than with the nation's most congested roadway."

Background:

Congressman Brad Sherman and his colleagues were instrumental in securing funding for these projects at both the state and federal level. In 1998, Congressman Sherman secured federal funds for planning improvements to the Sepulveda Pass bottleneck. In 2003, Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Brad Sherman worked together to secure $117 million in federal funding to construct an additional northbound lane on the 405. Congressman Sherman and then-Congressman Howard Berman both testified in support of the 405 project on April 1, 2003, before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. Sherman lobbied his colleagues intensely until the final funding bill passed in July 2005.

Congressman Sherman then worked with several prominent advocates of the project, including Mayor Villaraigosa and Supervisor Gloria Molina (then-Chair of the Metro Board), to secure state funding. On February 20, 2007, Congressman Sherman traveled to Sacramento with Mayor Villaraigosa and other local officials in a successful effort to persuade the California Transportation Commission to provide $614 million—the largest piece of the project's funding. Sherman was the only member of Congress to testify at this critical hearing of the California Transportation Commission.