Traffic Relief Update for Ladera Ranch 

Submission for Ladera Ranch Times

Getting congestion relief on the I-5 freeway in South Orange County has long been one of my top priorities. As a resident of Laguna Niguel, I understand the frustration of battling the ever-worsening traffic through the corridor south of the El Toro "Y" to the San Diego County line. Without adequate alternative arterials, the I-5 is the lifeline for most South County residents.
 
Following the tragic 2007 accident involving Ladera Ranch's Coble family, I held extensive meetings with transportation and other governmental stakeholders to understand why our Fifth District congestion relief projects were moving slowly and to identify ways to expedite these much needed projects.

As a result of discussions my office had with California Transportation Commissioner Marian Bergeson and Caltrans Director Will Kempton, funding for the I-5/Oso Parkway Interchange Improvement Project was accelerated by the CTC. Over the past year, I've worked with Caltrans District 12 Director Cindy Quon to ensure this project remains a top priority for the Commission and that it experiences no further delays.

The $14.3 million project commenced in September, 2008 and is anticipated to be completed by April, 2010. Currently, the contractor is working in stage two of three; adding various ramps and retaining walls and relocating utility lines. The project will reconstruct the ramps and add 13,000 feet of auxiliary lane in advance of the southbound off-ramp. It will also widen the Oso Parkway overhead, resurface the overpass and reconstruct approaches at the intersection.

Additionally, one exit down the freeway the much-anticipated completion of the I-5/Crown Valley Interchange Improvement Project is expected the first week of June, 2009. Caltrans is currently in the final stage of construction on this $1.7 million project which will widen Crown Valley Parkway from four to five lanes at the intersection, add a new retaining wall and barrier rail and add new pavement to the ramp.

It's also important to note that the City of Mission Viejo's Crown Valley Traffic Relief Project, which will greatly aid the commute for Ladera Ranch residents to and from the I-5 freeway by widening the roadway to eight lands from the freeway to the eastern city boundary just past Jardines, is scheduled for total completion in June, 2009.

These projects demonstrate that when agencies work together in a collaborative effort they can accelerate congestion relief projects in a timelier manner so that people are able to spend less time commuting and more time doing the things they enjoy, thus allowing for a better quality of life.