On May 17, transportation and city officials marked the completion of the Orangethorpe Avenue and the Tustin/Rose overpasses. Both are part of the overall the $630 million O.C. Bridges program, which is separating cars and people from freight trains at seven crossings in Placentia, Anaheim and Fullerton.
Held atop the Orangethorpe Avenue overpass, the completion ceremony included speeches from OCTA Chair Lori Donchak, OCTA Director Tom Tait, also Mayor of Anaheim, and OCTA CEO Darrell Johnson.
Each overpass and underpass improves travel times, cuts air pollution by eliminating the need for cars to idle at railroad gates, and enhances safety in the community.
At least 70 trains travel the busy BNSF rail line each day, with the number of trains projected to increase to 130 trains each day by 2030. Without the bridges and underpasses, a train – some up to a mile long – would block one of the intersections every 10 minutes.
Several lanes of the Tustin/Rose overpass opened to traffic in December and finishing touches such as landscaping and final striping were put on the project earlier this year.
The Orangethorpe overpass is nearing completion. OCTA and the cities of Anaheim and Placentia are working together to open the lanes to traffic within the next 30 days.
Underpasses have already opened at Placentia Avenue and at Kraemer Boulevard. Construction on the final three projects in the O.C. Bridges program – at State College Boulevard, Raymond Avenue and Lakeview Avenue – are well underway and expected to be open by 2018.
O.C. Bridges projects are significantly funded by Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.