KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) celebrated the groundbreaking for the I-5 North County Enhancements Project in Santa Clarita on Wednesday morning with a ceremonial shovel groundbreaking.
The $679 million project is meant to improve the operations and safety of the I-5 Freeway for motorists in the Santa Clarita Valley, in order to accommodate expected population growth, as well as improve transportation of freight and people along one of the most important commercial routes in the contiguous United States.
Metro is planning, designing and managing the construction of the project in partnership with CalTrans.
“It is critical we ensure the safe and efficient operation of the I-5 , which is the backbone of commerce in the Western United States,” said L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “These improvements will help safeguard the economic vitality of the entire region while providing key safety improvements for all who use this corridor.”
Improvements to the 5 Freeway in the Santa Clarita Valley include the following:
- 14-miles of HOV/carpool lanes in each direction
- Four sound wall segments
- Replacement of Weldon Canyon Road bridge
- Seven bridge widenings
- Extension of truck lanes
- 13.6 miles of median paving
- 43 retaining walls
- Intelligent-Transportation System Improvements
Sound wall segments are expected to be constructed north of Hasley Canyon Road, Magic Mountain Parkway and Valencia Boulevard, south of McBean Parkway and north of Calgrove Boulevard.
See Related: Several Lanes Of 5 Freeway To Be Closed North Of Santa Clarita Through February Due To Construction
“We are excited to be bringing these much-needed improvements to the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “Our work will make travelling through this corridor safer, provide much more efficient movement of goods and offer an alternative to commuting solo by encouraging people to share rides through the new high-occupancy-vehicle lanes in both directions.”
As the third-largest city in Los Angeles County, Santa Clarita is expected to increase its population by more than 25,000 people by 2035, according to the City of Santa Clarita’s One Vision One Valley Plan.
Metro officials hope that by improving the ability to merge and offering trucks a separate lane from general-purpose, motorists who use the corridor should have a faster, smoother and safer driving experience.
“We are asking the drivers to be patient and understand that what’s happening on our freeways is an improvement to help alleviate traffic jams and help improve traffic flow,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda. “So please, citizens of Santa Clarita, be patient out there. This too will pass and we will have fantastic roadway improvement here on the I-5.”
Officials detailed that they expect no lane closures to occur on the upcoming holidays in 2021 and in January of 2022, including Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Total completion of the freeway project is estimated for November 2026.
Santa Clarita drivers may check current closures and traffic conditions before driving by visiting the CalTrans website.
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This is a shame. What a bunch of governmental double speak.We are getting an HOV lane which means were losing a lane in reality. How do you sound walls reduce traffic? And it looks like we’re getting “truck lanes” almost the entire length of the valley…
Traffic is only going to get worse. By a lot.
Going to need it for all the ugly homes with ridiculous outrageous prices with mello Roos that they are still building and keep on building on top of each other off the 126 now.
How about a tunnel from the 14 to the 210 we need an escape route out of this madness this work is the same crap they just finished what a waste of money
Anything they said is a improvement will be a nightmare for the next 5 years. Should use the 650 million for getting homeless off the streets.
Looks like they are shoveling manure. Was this a city council meeting?
Did they or did they not just get finished this year an “improvement” on that same section of freeway?
Yep if they want to help they should double deck the freeway
While I Applaud your intent other then the truck lanes I think it has been shown that adding more lanes is not necessarily the best direction car pool lanes have shown a limited success. I would like to suggest a thought there is no safe bike path to the valley which might with the new popularity of eBikes reduce some traffic and might even encourage even more people to choose the bike over the car and it would be a very Minimal coast compared to the changes you have purposed widening the old road a few feet and the Balboa turn off
Constant 5 fwy. improvements and 14 fwy. neglect! When will $$$ be used to widen & more on/off ramps?!?! How about a road/tunnel from to 126 to the 118?! When all the thousands of smashed/pancaked Apt. style houses are done, with Section 8 housing, the 5 & Newhall Pass will still be standstill!
There is no qualifying section 8 housing except for senior apartment housing in Santa Clarita. So I am confused by your statement.
Someone needs to figure out how to relieve traffic on the 14. There is far too many people in the Antelope Valley for that miniscule freeway.