I-405 in the Sepulveda Pass: 55 mph, Uneven Lanes and Overnight Closures

The Sepulveda Pass is the main road between the Westside and the San Fernando Valley, and for many drivers the way to LAX. It is now also a long-running work zone. Most of the work happens at night, but the daytime freeway you drive is still shaped by it: lower speeds, lanes at slightly different heights, and closures that move from week to week.

What the project is, and what it isn't

Caltrans describes a 10.2-mile pavement rehabilitation of I-405 between Van Nuys and Westwood. Sections of two lanes in each direction are being replaced from Victory Boulevard to Mulholland Drive, other lanes are being repaired, and the project also replaces overhead sign structures and sign panels and upgrades guardrail. In total Caltrans expects to restore nearly 92 lane miles. Construction began in summer 2025 and is expected to finish in winter 2027, with landscaping work continuing into 2028.

It is not a widening. Caltrans says the existing freeway is being repaired, not changed, so the lane layout you know will stay; it will just be smoother when the work ends.

The 55 mph zone and the uneven lanes

Caltrans says the speed limit through the pass is temporarily reduced to 55 mph in certain sections from May 26, 2026, because of paving operations, starting on the southbound side and then moving northbound. Uneven Pavement signs are posted between Wilshire Boulevard and Victory Boulevard, and Caltrans warns that drivers may notice slight elevation differences when changing lanes in the work area. It expects the reduced limit and uneven surface to remain through winter 2026 or early spring 2027, subject to weather and operations.

Caltrans also advises motorcyclists to take extra caution when lane splitting or travelling between lanes in the area, because the edge between an old lane and a new one is exactly where a two-wheeler is.

Driving it well

• Change lanes deliberately, with both hands on the wheel, rather than drifting across. The height step is small but you will feel it.
• Avoid lane changes in the curves where you can; finish them on the straights.
• Treat 55 as the limit, not a suggestion. Traffic in the pass often moves slower than that anyway, and sudden slowdowns are common near active work.
• Check closures before night or weekend trips. Caltrans offers weekly email notices on overnight and weekend work, and QuickMap shows current closures. The schedule changes with weather and operations.

Why a work-zone ticket costs more

Vehicle Code section 42009 raises fines for listed offences committed in a highway construction or maintenance area while traffic is being controlled or workers are present. Misdemeanour fines are doubled, and infraction fines move up one category on the penalty schedule. Speeding, unsafe lane changes and ignoring signs are among the covered offences, and any of them also lands on your driving record, the first factor California insurers must weigh.

If the road damages your car

A single hard hit on a lane edge, a pothole or construction debris that damages a tire, wheel or suspension is generally a collision claim, subject to your deductible, and is not covered on a liability-only policy. Gradual wear is not covered at all. If you believe a road defect caused the damage, a claim against the agency responsible is a separate process with its own deadlines; our pothole page explains the outline. For motorcyclists, a fall triggered by a lane edge is a claim on the motorcycle policy's collision coverage, if you carry it.

If you drive the pass every day, check that your collision deductible is one you could actually pay, and that your policy reflects the commute you really make.