OCTA’s project team met with the Laguna Hills City Council Tuesday, July 10 to present information about a plan to widen the San Diego Freeway (I-5) from the San Joaquin Toll Road (SR-73) interchange in Laguna Niguel to El Toro Road in Laguna Hills.
OCTA Project Manager Hamid Torkamanha and Community Relations Associate Ryan Romeos provided details about the four-year, $560-million project that will widen the freeway to accommodate additional lanes.
“Even though we won’t break ground on this project until 2018, we’re committed to providing information about the traffic relief this project will create, as well as addressing issues related to construction,” Torkamanha said.
Technical experts at the meeting helped address council members’ concerns about the potential locations of soundwalls that would reduce noise for residents living near the freeway.
Torkamanha also added that the project is in the environmental phase with three different build alternatives currently under consideration.
The public will be able to review the draft environmental document in late August 2013.
Once planners complete the environmental phase in early 2014, transportation officials estimate that crews will begin construction in 2018.
For more information about the I-5 Improvement Project, please visit www.octa.net/Freeways-and-Streets/Santa-Ana-Freeway(I-5)/I-5-South-County-Improvements.