Octa's transportation blog

OCTA and Caltrans Host a Stakeholder Working Group About I-5 Improvements in South Orange County

More than 25 business owners, city representatives, residents and other transportation agencies attended the I-5 Avenida Pico to San Juan Creek Road Improvement Project Stakeholder Working Group on Wed., Sept. 25.

OCTA and Caltrans led the meeting, which showcased a new computer-generated video that highlights what the improved Avenida Pico intersection will look like once it’s completed in mid-2017.

The project team also answered questions about timing, potential closures, construction phasing, soundwalls, and noise mitigation.

The 5.7-mile, $275 million project aims to enhance traffic flow and remove congestion on the I-5 between Avenida Pico in San Clemente to San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano. It also will reconstruct the Avenida Pico interchange.

Improvements include:

  • Adding a carpool lane in both directions on the I-5 between Avenida Pico and San Juan Creek Road
  • Improving the sight distance on the southbound horizontal curve north of Pacific Coast Highway
  • Enhancing the interchange at Avenida Pico
  • Adding soundwalls along the segment where they are needed

The project will officially break ground in early 2014, with construction beginning in San Juan Capistrano. Construction at the Avenida Pico interchange will begin in fall 2014.

The stakeholder working group is part of an ongoing outreach effort to keep residents, businesses and community leaders informed. Please email the project team to schedule a presentation about the project for your community.

More information about the project is available here.