The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has opened a new elevated high occupancy vehicle (HOV, or carpool) lane connector between Interstate 5 (I-5) and the Antelope Valley Freeway (SR-14).

The connector allows motorists using the I-5 and SR-14 HOV lanes to transfer between freeways without exiting the carpool lane.

The connector is part of a $175.8 million project that is also adding 1.8 miles of HOV lanes to the I-5/SR-14 interchange area; constructing major retaining walls; and widening the West Sylmar overhead bridge, the Sierra Highway undercrossing, the southbound I-5 Truck Route undercrossing, and the mixed-flow connectors between I-5 and SR-14, Caltrans officials said.

The entire project will be completed in March 2013. In the meantime, crews will complete joint sealing, striping and landscaping. Closures will continue at night on I-5, SR-14 and the I-5 Truck Route while this work is underway, officials said.

An average of 354,000 motorists use the I-5/SR-14 interchange every day.