Metro and CalTrans officials hosted a joint meeting recently to discuss construction on the I-5 freeway, which will add lanes from SR-14 to Castaic.

The project will add a HOV lane going both directions from the I5-14 Freeway interchange to Parker Road in Castaic, while also adding soundwalls to certain areas along that stretch.

Click here for the full Metro presentation given to the community on October 20, 2016.

The work is a part of Measure M, which is expected to bring more than 750,000 jobs to areas around LA County, and will generate an estimated $860 million a year in 2017 dollars.

Projects proposed under Measure M will be built over a 40-year period.

Measure M was approved by 71% of voters in Los Angeles County.

Construction for the lane expansion project is expected to begin in the summer of 2019, and last until the winter of 2022.

“During construction, there will be periods when lanes are shifted to accommodate the work areas with temporary striping,” said Rick Jager, a spokesperson for Los Angeles County Metro. “But the existing number of lanes along I-5 will be maintained during peak traffic periods.”

Many residents are concerned about a rise in traffic along The Old Road, and Jager added that The Old Road “may experience some additional traffic during the construction period as it will be used as an alternate route/detour during some stages of construction.”

Soundwalls will be constructed based on noise studies, and would effectively reduce noise levels for communities adjacent to the 5 freeway.

Some other improvements included in the project are an extension of the existing northbound truck lane from the Gavin Canyon Bridge to the Calgrove off-ramp, while a southbound truck lane will be added from Calgrove to the 14.

(The lane expansion project should not be confused with the current pavement rehabilitation project that is going on at Calgrove. The rehabilitation project will replace damaged parts of the road starting at Calgrove, and finish one mile north of Parker Road in Castaic. That plan is expected to be finished in July 2019.)

Auxiliary lanes, outside lanes extending between an on-ramp and off-ramp, will be added between numerous on and off-ramps.

Going northbound on I-5, auxiliary lanes will be added between Calgrove and Pico-Lyons Avenue, and between Magic Mountain Parkway and the Truck Scales.

On the southbound I-5, auxiliary lanes will also be added between SR-126 and Rye Canyon Road, between Rye Canyon and Magic Mountain Parkway, and between Valencia and McBean Parkway.

“Many of the on-ramps and off-ramps will be affected and the goal is to keep open the maximum number of on-ramps and off-ramps during construction,” Jager said. “However, some ramps will need to be closed temporarily for various time frames depending on the proposed improvements to the ramp. The construction staging will be planned such that ramps at adjacent interchanges will not be closed simultaneously.”

The following bridges will be widened to fit the increased traffic load.

• Gavin Canyon Undercrossing
• Calgrove Boulevard Undercrossing
• Butte Canyon Bridge
• Magic Mountain Parkway Undercrossing
• Santa Clara Over head
• Rye Canyon Undercrossing
• Castaic Creek Bridge

A replacement bridge will be constructed at the Weldon Canyon overcrossing.

Officials made it known that the existing bridge will not be taken down, and replaced in the same spot, but the replacement bridge will be constructed next to the current bridge.

This will allow traffic to access the Oak Tree gun club located in the Newhall Pass.

Although this project may affect traffic in the short-term, the presentation given by CalTrans and Metro officials mentioned that in the long-term, the project would help ease traffic with expected increases of the population in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“The new lanes are expected to reduce existing and forecasted traffic congestion in the region,” added Jager. “Upon project completion, this corridor will have improved operational and safety design features to facilitate the movement of people, freight and goods.”

Metro has hosted a number of community meetings, and is looking to keep the community involved through every step of the process.

More community meetings will be held next summer before the design phase of the project is completed.

If you have any questions you can call Los Angeles County Metro at (213) 922-2772, or click here to visit the I-5 enhancements website for more information.

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