ORANGE – The public is invited to an April 20 open house about proposed improvements to State Route 55 between Interstate 405 and Interstate 5.
The Orange County Transportation Authority, along with Caltrans, will hold the meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 20 at the New Delhi Center, 505 E. Central Avenue in Santa Ana.
Staff members will be on hand to present information about plans to improve the freeway and answer questions.
The meeting is being held as part of the public review process for a modified third alternative for improvements to SR-55. The project is proposing to add a regular lane, a carpool lane and auxiliary lane – for drivers to more easily merge onto the freeway – in each direction of the SR-55 between I-5 and I-405 in Irvine, Santa Ana and Tustin.
The public is encouraged to review the plans and submit comments through April 26 on the document, called the Supplemental Draft Initial Study/Environmental Assessment. The comments will help Caltrans later determine the preferred alternative for improvements to that section of SR-55.
Currently, more than 295,000 people travel daily on the SR-55, which serves as a primary route to major residential and employment centers, popular beaches and entertainment destinations.
The project is being funded in part by Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
The improvement project will increase capacity on the freeway, reduce congestion and improve travel times.
For more information and to review the plan, visit www.dot.ca.gov/dist12/DEA/SR55IMPROV or www.octa.net/SR55.
