Crews have finished driving about one hundred steel piles for the new Interstate 5 (I-5) bridge over Avenida Pico in San Clemente, part of the $230 million I-5 South County Improvements Project.
The project extends the carpool lane in both directions from San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano to Avenida Pico in San Clemente.
Pile driving is set to resume in January for another part of the Pico bridge, which must be widened to accommodate the new carpool lanes. The steel piles will support the footings of the new bridge.
Among the other work set to occur in the coming months:
- Construction will begin on retaining walls along the southbound side of I-5 at Avenida Pico.
- Ramps at Avenida Vista Hermosa will be realigned to accommodate the freeway widening.
- Crews will perform concrete pours to finish widening the freeway bridge over Avenida Vaquero.
- The sound walls along southbound I-5 between Camino de Estrella and Avenida Vista Hermosa will be constructed.
Motorists also should be aware that the speed limit on the freeway throughout the project area has been reduced to 55 mph as part of an effort to enhance safety.
The change in the speed limit is one of several actions taken to increase safety for motorists and construction crews. Others include: maximizing signal timing at interchanges to reduce queuing on off-ramps, installing additional message signs to alert motorists to reduce speed in the construction zone, and increasing enforcement by the California Highway Patrol.
Find out more about the project and sign up for email construction alerts here.
