Drivers: This might be a good week to avoid the 5 Freeway at night

Drivers may want to avoid the 5 Freeway late at night next week as a result of ongoing widening construction. Closures are planned Sunday night and later Wednesday and Thursday nights.

First, the northbound 5 Freeway lanes will be closed at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, continuing until 5 a.m. Monday from Rosecrans Avenue to the 605 Freeway.

The closure will allow paving of the new lanes that are being added to the freeway, according to Caltrans.

Then on Wednesday and Thursday nights, the freeway will closedbeginning at 11 p.m. and ending the following morning at 5 between Artesia Boulevard and Carmenita Road. South Firestone Boulevard between Marquardt Avenue and the Valley View Avenue bridge also will be closed.

The closures will allow construction of frame support for the new bridge, according to Caltrans.

Both closures are needed as a result of the 5 Freeway widening project, which is adding regular and car pool lanes to each side of the freeway between the 605 and the Orange County line.