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
Categories: Projects
[…] More congestion relief coming to Santa Ana Freeway. 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. […]
Oceanside is in San Diego County. Contact your local Transit agency.
Add this to the 405 freeway project mess. Metro should be embarrassed. If the Purple line suffers the same cost problems, then we REALLY need to sit back and ask why every project is like this or so it seems.
Over a billion dollars to add 7 miles of carpool lanes in each directions is ridiculous. Can you imagine if LOSSAN got over a billion dollars for the LOSSAN Corridor! You could triple track the whole corridor to Oceanside for that. At least double track it! its a joke. We can add carpool lanes but cannot get the second busiest rail corridor in the country double tracked!?