I-405/I-105 Freeway Tunnel Lighting Upgrade – California
Transportation | Tunnel Lighting | Los Angeles, CA
The I-405/I-105 interchange is one of the most critical arteries in Southern California, handling over 250,000 vehicles per day. Aldridge served as the prime contractor for the Caltrans 405/105 Freeway Tunnel Lighting Upgrade, a project focused on replacing aging infrastructure with modern LED technology and intelligent control systems. The mission was to enhance driver safety and reduce long-term maintenance demands while ensuring minimal disruption to one of the nation's busiest corridors
The technical scope of the project included the installation of 835 LED fixtures across 6,400 feet of lighting. This was not a standard replacement. The system utilizes advanced sensors outside each tunnel to adjust light levels based on ambient conditions, along with internal illuminance sensors that provide real-time feedback to compensate for lumen output over time. Aldridge worked closely with Caltrans and the system manufacturers to finalize the design of the power line control system, ensuring the infrastructure was appropriately sized and eliminating the need for costly re-work in the field.
Our project delivery focused on the use of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and prefabrication. Rather than assembling fixtures inside a tunnel next to active traffic during brief overnight closures, the team moved the construction of custom lighting tracks and brackets to our dedicated PreFab facility. Every fixture was pre-inspected and tested as part of the track assembly before shipping. We developed custom shipping racks designed for direct lift-and-install access, which allowed our field crews to execute the installation with maximum efficiency.
By shifting the labor to a controlled environment, we optimized the design and improved quality while significantly reducing crew exposure to the traveling public. This innovative approach allowed Aldridge to complete the project roughly six months ahead of schedule and reduce the overall traffic impact by 30 percent. The result is a more resilient and intelligent lighting system that provides a safer environment for hundreds of thousands of commuters every day.
