Metro discusses plans for I-5 construction

Signal file photo of I-5 traffic
Share on facebook
Share
Share on twitter
Tweet
Share on email
Email

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority informed the public Wednesday evening on the details surrounding the new Interstate 5 construction project occurring between State Route 14 and Parker Road in Castaic over the next handful of years.  

Officials said the plan is designed to decrease the amount of traffic already on the road, as well as the traffic in the future should Santa Clarita increase in population — as it is projected to do — by more than 25,000 people by 2035.  

The construction and lane closures during certain times of the day are set to begin in November and the project is expected to end in approximately five years in November 2026.  

The additions for the project, officials said in the meeting, include the following:  

  • Addition of one high occupancy vehicle (HOV)/carpool lane in each direction along I-5. 
  • Extension of the northbound truck lane from SR-14 to Calgrove Boulevard. 
  • Addition of southbound truck lane from Calgrove Boulevard to SR-14. 
  • Addition of sound walls at four locations. 
  • Replacement of Weldon Canyon Bridge. 
  • Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) improvements between the I-405 and I-210 interchanges. 
  • Addition of auxiliary lanes (additional outside lanes extending between an on-ramp and a subsequent off-ramp). 

“Stage one will consist primarily of median construction and constructing the carpool lanes,” said Project Manager Paul Sullivan. “Stage two we will construct auxiliary lanes and do some freeway ramp reconstruction and improvements. Stage three we will complete the remaining exterior retaining walls along the outside of the project limits.”  

For the I-5/State Route 14 interchange to Lyons Avenue and Pico Canyon Road, construction site preparation is expected to occur nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and begin Monday.  

“Traffic will be maintained in each direction,” read the presentation from the meeting. “All lanes will be reopened by 6 a.m. each morning. No lane closures will be implemented during a.m. or p.m. peak traffic hours.” 

Officials said that they are cognizant of the need to travel during the holidays, and for the days surrounding Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Martin Luther King Jr. Day — the holidays during the first phase of construction — construction will be halted to allow commuters to easily travel the Newhall Pass.   

Detours will be set up while the on-ramps and off-ramps are closed, officials said.  

“Access to emergency responders will be maintained. Construction is a dynamic process, it is subject to weather conditions, and information is subject to change,” said the presentation.   

Visit the project website at https://www.metro.net/projects/i-5-enhancements/#overview for the most up-to-date information.  

Related To This Story

Latest NEWS