WHAT: The Orange County Transportation Authority, in partnership with Caltrans and local cities, will mark the start of construction on a freeway widening project on 6.5 miles of Interstate 5 between State Route 73 and El Toro Road in South Orange County.
The project will reduce congestion and improve travel times by widening the freeway with an additional regular lane in each direction and extending the second carpool lane between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road.
Several streets that intersect the I-5 freeway also will be improved and widened, as well freeway on- and off-ramps.
Media is invited to join the community at the event to mark the groundbreaking on the project. The groundbreaking site overlooks the freeway.
WHEN: 10 a.m. Thursday, June 6
WHERE: 27101 Puerta Real (parking lot overlooking I-5), Mission Viejo, CA 92691
WHO: Scheduled speakers include:
- OCTA Chairman Tim Shaw, also a La Habra councilman
- OCTA Director Lisa Bartlett, also Orange County’s Fifth District Supervisor
- OCTA Director Laurie Davies, also Mayor Pro Tem of Laguna Niguel
- OCTA Director Joe Muller, also Mayor of Dana Point
- OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson
- Caltrans District 12 Director Ryan Chamberlain
WHY: The $581-million Interstate 5 Improvement Project through Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano, will add a regular lane in each direction and extend a second carpool lane between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road.
The 6.5-mile stretch of the freeway is heavily traveled by 360,000 drivers each day. The improvements will be built in three segments and are expected to be finished in 2025.
Funding for the project comes from Measure M, the local half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements also known as OC Go, and from a mix of state and federal funds.
