Work begins Tuesday evening on reconstructing the first bridge affected by the San Diego (405) Freeway expansion.
The McFadden Avenue bridge over the freeway will be closed to all traffic at 10 p.m. for about a year so it can be rebuilt, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority.
The bridge is being closed to prepare for its demolition, which may be done by Aug. 18.
While the bridge is closed, traffic will be detoured around it.
The demolition later this month is expected to take place over several nights, officials said.
The McFadden bridge is the first of about 18 that will be rebuilt, widened or replaced.
During the demolition work later this month, the freeway will be shut down from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. between Beach Boulevard and Bolsa Avenue. Traffic will be rerouted around the freeway work to the next onramp.
The $1.9 billion freeway project will add a free lane in each direction between Route 73 and the San Gabriel (605) Freeway, as well as a toll lane, the first one in Orange County outside of the tollways.
The 16-mile freeway expansion is expected to be completed by 2023.