The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to deliver its latest community update on the Interstate 5 North County Enhancements Project online Wednesday evening, as the yearslong project to expand the I-5 freeway in anticipation of significant growth in the Santa Clarita Valley approaches its slated end date.
The $679-million project, run by L.A. Metro and District 7 of the California Department of Transportation, began in 2021 and extends from the Newhall Pass, south of the Highway 14 and Interstate 5 split, to just south of Parker Road in Castaic.
According to Metro’s website, the project is scheduled for completion in 2026.
The ongoing work is bringing operational and safety enhancements to the I-5 in anticipation of population projections from the city of Santa Clarita’s One Valley One Vision Plan, which predicts a 25,000-person population bump by 2035, according to Metro’s news release.
Once complete, the following enhancements will be added to the I-5, according to Metro’s website:
- An addition of one high occupancy vehicle carpool lane in each direction.
- An extension of the northbound truck lane to Calgrove Boulevard.
- An addition of a southbound truck lane to Highway 14.
- An addition of soundwalls at four locations: north of Hasley Canyon Road, between Magic Mountain Parkway and Valencia Boulevard, south of McBean Parkway and north of Calgrove Boulevard.
- The replacement of Weldon Canyon Road Bridge.
- Intelligent Transportation System improvements between Interstate 405 and Interstate 210.
- An addition of auxiliary lanes, with additional outside lanes extending between an on-ramp and subsequent off-ramp.
Patrick Chandler, Metro media relations manager for the project, told The Signal in November of last year that I-5 commuters could expect the new carpool lanes to be open in the winter of 2026.
According to Metro’s website, the enhancements are intended to improve safety on the I-5 by “increasing access for merging and offering trucks a separate lane from the general-purpose lanes.”
The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. Online registration can be found on Metro’s website: bit.ly/3WQOEBi.
Recently, the project temporarily shut down the southbound I-5 on-ramp for roadway excavation, paving, electrical upgrades and guardrail installation on the ramp at Lyons Avenue/Pico Canyon Road. It reopened after about one month on Nov. 4.
