Through Sept. 12, there will be several opportunities to learn about the planned improvement project on the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) through central county and to provide comments on the project’s recently released environmental documents.
The Orange County Transportation Authority, in cooperation with Caltrans, is proposing to relieve traffic congestion, eliminate bottlenecks and improve traffic operations on I-5 between the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) and the Orange Freeway (SR-57) through the cities of Santa Ana, Orange and Tustin.
On Sept. 2, the public attended an open house at Santiago Community College in Santa Ana to speak with staff about the project and review the environmental documents.
The environmental documents, an initial study/environmental assessment (IS/EA), are available for review during regular business hours at the following locations:
- Santa Ana Public Library, 26 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Orange Public Library, 407 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA 92866
- Tustin Library, 345 E. Main Street, Tustin, CA 92780
The study evaluates a build alternative and a no-build alternative. The build alternative includes removing the barrier between the carpool lane and general-purpose lane, adding a second carpool lane in each direction, restriping for continuous access, and removing the carpool on- and off-ramps at the I-5/Main street interchange to improve operations.
Currently, 390,000 drivers a day travel the I-5 between the SR-55 and SR-57. Projected traffic volumes are expected to increase 19 percent by 2030, bringing the total to 464,000 motorists per day through the area. The four-mile, $42 million project is funded by Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, as well as state dollars.
The complete IS/EA is available online at octa.net/I5central and dot.ca.gov/dist12/I-5HOV. Maps for the proposed IS/EA and other project information are available for review and copying (for a fee) at the Caltrans District 12 Office, at 3347 Michelson Dr., Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92612 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Public comments will be received through 5 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2014. To submit comments, please send mail to Caltrans District 12 Office, 3347 Michelson Dr., Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92612-8894 (Attn: Edward Dolan) or via email.
