In the coming weeks, two weekend lane closures at the southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) Avenida Pico ramps in San Clemente will help prepare for a safer, more streamlined travel experience.
Reconstruction of the Avenida Pico interchange is part of the $230 million I-5 South County Improvements Project, which also extends the carpool lane from San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano to Avenida Pico in San Clemente.
Construction completed during the closures will allow traffic to be shifted to new ramps being built adjacent to the existing ramps. The closures require an entire weekend (Friday night to Monday morning) because they involve major drainage work, asphalt paving, striping and resetting concrete barriers.
The first closure, for the southbound I-5 Avenida Pico off-ramp, is set for 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9. The second closure, for the southbound I-5 Avenida Pico on-ramp, is set for 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23.
In addition, daytime pile driving for the new bridge abutments on the southbound side of I-5 is scheduled to begin Nov. 17. Crews will begin driving steel piles adjacent to Avenida Pico to support the bridge footings. This work is necessary to widen the bridge and accommodate new freeway lanes.
The work will take place intermittently, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, through December.
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