More congestion relief coming to Santa Ana Freeway

Posted May 22, 2013 by Anna Chen

KNX 1070 traffic reporter Tommy Jaxson asks motorists to “slow for the cone.”

Metro Director DuBois, Metro CEO Art Leahy (green hats) join Caltrans and other officials at groundbreaking.

Metro Director Diane DuBois, Chris Newman of the Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans Director Michael Miles receive congressional recognition from the office of Linda Sanchez for the project.

Metro and Caltrans broke ground today on the I-5 Carpool Lane Widening/Imperial Highway and Pioneer Boulevard Project, the fourth of six segments to begin construction. Metro is a major funding contributor to the I-5 South Corridor Widening Project, providing $965 million to date.

Here’s the press release from Caltrans:

Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) began construction today on a $302 million project on the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) that will ease traffic congestion for 230,000 motorists daily – and provide jobs for Southern California.

“This project will be good for commuters and good for the economy,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “The new lanes will make driving less stressful and allow motorists more time doing things they enjoy rather than being stuck in traffic.”

The I-5 Carpool Lane Widening/Imperial Highway and Pioneer Boulevard Project will widen nearly two miles of freeway in Norwalk by adding one carpool lane and one regular lane in each direction from Silverbow Avenue to Orr and Day Roads; and bridges at San Antonio Drive, Imperial Highway, and Pioneer Boulevard will be rebuilt to accommodate the wider freeway. The improvements also include a new southbound I-5 off-ramp at Imperial Highway, new sound walls and frontage roads.

“In addition to our many transit programs, Metro has a vital role in developing our County’s highway system by providing funds for highway projects,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Michael D. Antonovich. Metro has committed $965M in funds for the I-5 South Corridor project which will enhance mobility for commuters, reduce congestion and improve air quality.”

The project is primarily funded ($167.5 million) by Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. To date, nearly $15 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide. The project also received $104 million in state transportation funds and $30.5 million from Metro’s Proposition C and Measure R.

“The I-5 corridor projects illustrate how Metro and Caltrans are working together to bring congestion relief to our entire region.” said Metro Board lst vice Chair Diane DuBois.

The Norwalk project is part of a $1.6 billion package of six projects that will add nearly 14 miles of carpool lanes on I-5 from the Los Angeles County/Orange County line to the San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate 605). When completed, motorists will be able to travel seamlessly in a carpool lane from Downey to San Juan Capistrano, a distance of 44 miles.

For more information on all the I-5 corridor improvements, please visit www.I-5info.com

Long term closure of Alondra Boulevard Bridge slated to start in June

Posted May 15, 2013 by Anna Chen

The Alondra Boulevard Bridge and a segment of Alondra Boulevard will be closed starting June 10 for construction work. Here’s the press release from Caltrans:

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will fully close the Alondra Boulevard Bridge and a segment of Alondra Boulevard in both directions between Freeway Drive and Marquardt Avenue beginning Sunday, June 9 at 9 p.m.

Both the bridge and this portion of Alondra Boulevard will remain fully closed until mid-to-late 2014. The work involves bridge demolition and reconstruction, retaining wall construction and roadway improvements on Alondra Boulevard.

The Alondra Bridge demolition will take place during nighttime work in six weekends — with three weekends of demolition work scheduled per each half of the bridge. The work will occur overnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

The demolition work is scheduled to begin on Friday night June 14 to Saturday morning June 15; and Saturday night June 15 to Sunday morning June 16.

Up to five more weekends (weather permitting) of demolition work are scheduled for:

Friday night 6/21 to Saturday morning 6/22; and Saturday night 6/22 to Sunday morning 6/23;

Friday night 6/28 to Saturday morning 6/29; and Saturday night 6/29 to Sunday morning 6/30;

(Then, switching demolition work to the opposite side of the bridge and freeway):

Friday night 7/5 to Saturday morning 7/6; and Saturday night 7/6 to Sunday morning 7/7;

Friday night 7/12 to Saturday morning 7/13; and Saturday night 7/13 to Sunday morning 7/14;

Friday night 7/19 to Saturday morning 7/20; and Saturday night 7/20 to Sunday morning 7/21.

Overnight, Directional Full Closures on the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) between Valley View Avenue and Carmenita Road will occur during the bridge demolition weekends. One direction of I-5 will fully close each night and the other direction – with a reduced number of lanes – will remain open to traffic during the bridge demolition. The time schedule for freeway connector and ramp closures during the demolition work will be announced in early June.

Long-Term On-Ramp Closure: the northbound I-5 on-ramp at Alondra Blvd. will fully close beginning 12:01 a.m. on June 10.

Local commuters are encouraged to use the marked detours on Valley View Avenue, Artesia Boulevard, and Carmenita Road. Please consider the detour in your commute and allow extra time to arrive at your destination.

The motoring public, residents and businesses are encouraged to sign-up for regular notification on freeway lane and ramp closures and local street closures by calling the toll-free I-5 South Corridor Improvement Projects Hotline (855) 454-6335 or visiting www.I-5info.com

The work is part of the $110 million Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) HOV Widening and Alondra Boulevard Bridge Project to construct one carpool and one general purpose lane in each direction, from North Fork Coyote Creek Bridge to Marquardt Avenue, reconstruct overcrossings at Alondra Boulevard and North Fork Coyote Creek, and realign and upgrade adjacent frontage roads. The 57-year-old Alondra Blvd. Bridge will be widened from a four-lane to a six-lane bridge, with three lanes in each direction, and will also be longer to accommodate a wider I-5 freeway. The contractor is C.C. Myers, Inc. of Anaheim, Ca.

Groundbreaking held for another project to widen I-5 freeway between 605 and Orange County border

Posted February 6, 2013 by Steve Hymon

Public officials at the groundbreaking this morning including Metro Board Members Diane DuBois and Don Knabe in the center of the frame. Photo by Luis Inzunza/Metro.

The project that broke ground this morning will widen the 5 freeway for 1.2 miles between Shoemaker and Silverbow avenues by adding a general purpose lane and HOV lane in both directions. The project will also widen three bridges over the freeway — at Shoemaker, Rosecrans and Bloomfield. Metro is contributing $42 million of the $214 million cost of the project, with Metro’s money coming from Prop C (1990) and Measure R (2008) sales tax increases approved by county voters.

This is one of six projects that will add a general purpose lane and a carpool lane to the 5 freeway for seven miles in both directions from the 605 freeway junction to the border between L.A. and Orange counties. That border is a well-known bottleneck — Orange County has widened the 5 and added a carpool lane whereas the 5 remains three or four lanes north of the county line. The completion date for all of the projects is 2016.

Below is the program from today’s ceremony and a project map. The news release from Caltrans is posted after the jump.

Click above to see larger image.

And here’s a project map:

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I-5 South Corridor braces for second wave of congestion-busting improvements

Posted March 19, 2012 by Gayle Anderson

Officials break ground March 19 to launch the I-5 HOV Widening and Alondra Boulevard Bridge Project, the second of six segments of the I-5 South Corrdior Improvement Projects.

Caltrans and Metro announced Monday that construction will begin on the I-5 Widening and Alondra Boulevard Bridge Project, the second segment of the I-5 South Corridor Improvement Project that runs from the Los Angeles/Orange County Line to the I-605. Last fall, Caltrans began the first of six I-5 corridor improvement projects totaling more than $1 billion; some of the funding is coming from Measure R.

The $110-million Alondra Boulevard Bridge project will add one carpool lane and one general purpose lane in each direction from North Fork Coyote Creek to Marquardt Avenue, a distance of nearly a mile. The project also includes reconstructing two bridges at Alondra and North Fork Coyote Creek to accommodate a wider freeway, redesigned ramp structures and realigning Firestone Boulevard and Freeway Drive frontage roads.

The Alondra Boulevard Bridge Project is expected to be completed by mid-2015.