The Burbank Boulevard bridge over the Golden State (5) Freeway will be demolished to make way for a new span, necessitating a “long-term” street closure set to begin in about two weeks and an upcoming 36-hour full closure of a section of the Golden State (5) Freeway, Caltrans announced Monday.

Burbank Boulevard between San Fernando Boulevard and Front Street will be closed in both directions to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians starting at 12:01 a.m. on March 14, and will reopen sometime in 2021, according to Michael Comeaux of Caltrans.

“The new bridge will be longer than the old one since I-5 is being widened to add carpool lanes in both directions,” Comeaux said. “The new bridge also will be wider to accommodate more lanes on Burbank Boulevard, bicycle lanes in both directions and a wide sidewalk.”

Caltrans will be closing the 5 Freeway near Burbank Boulevard for 36 hours at an as-yet undetermined date in the “near future,” according to Comeaux. That closure will likely be the largest in the Los Angeles area since 10-mile sections of the San Diego (405) Freeway were closed during weekends in July 2011 and September 2012, dubbed “Carmageddon” 1 and 2.

Caltrans will hold a news conference in Burbank on Thursday to give more details about the I-5 closure.

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