Despite months of complaints and concerns, a gate was installed Friday at Benz Road as planned, and a detour was put in place on Bouquet Canyon Road that is expected to last about 11 months as a housing construction project is developed.
The gate has been installed, and it is intended to allow access to residents off Benz Road, according to city officials in a previous discussion about the gate closure.
While the gate is in place and was being tested Friday, it’s expected to be closed for the first time Tuesday, according to John Musella, a spokesman for Lennar.
“The detour is in place, the gate at Benz is open,” Musella said Friday.
City officials said they have been working with Lennar to coordinate the closure.
The planned 11-month closure of Bouquet Canyon Road — from Benz Road to David Way, with Hobbs and Sue Court also being closed off to all but emergency vehicles — drew outrage from residents at a pair of community meetings.
However, the developer has said the closure is necessary in order to replace a bridge over Bouquet Canyon Road and safely widen the flood channel.
Musella said Lennar is still working to make sure all of the impacted residents off Benz Road have gate access prior to the final closing of the gate.
For southbound drivers on Bouquet Canyon Road, they’ll be able to take David Way to Copper Hill Drive on a continuous signal. Kathleen Avenue at Copper Hill Drive will also become a signalized intersection to help traffic, according to Joel Bareng, Santa Clarita’s traffic engineer.
There have also been intersection changes at Bouquet and Seco canyon roads; Bouquet and Haskell canyon roads; Plum and Bouquet canyon roads; Bouquet and Centurion Way; and Bouquet and David Way.
More information about the closure plan is available at BouquetCanyonRoad.com.
