O.C. sets freeway project priorities
Widening the Riverside Freeway and constructing carpool lane connectors on the San Diego Freeway top the list of projects that Orange County transportation planners want to tackle with new state infrastructure bond money.
Planners, who met Monday to set priorities on traffic projects, have long sought to help the clogged Riverside Freeway -- the main connector between the neighboring counties.
But because environmental studies for carpool lanes on the San Diego Freeway between the Garden Grove and 605 freeways have been completed, the carpool project jumped to the front of the wish list.
“These projects are the ones that are ready and can be delivered,” said Kia Mortazavi, Orange County Transportation Authority’s director of strategic planning.
The state requires that the projects must be under construction by 2012 to be eligible for the bond money.
The list also includes adding northbound lanes from Katella Avenue to Lambert Road on the Orange Freeway. In addition, planners are seeking bond money to improve the interchange at Ortega Highway and Interstate 5 in South County.
In the Nov. 7 election, voters approved Proposition 1B, which provides $20 billion for transportation infrastructure.
Under the bond, about $4.5 billion will be made available for the state’s 58 counties to finance major corridor projects that relieve congestion. Applications are due Jan. 15.
“These are highly competitive funds, and we’re in competition with Los Angeles and San Diego counties,” said Paul Taylor, OCTA executive director of development.
The OCTA board is scheduled to seek funding for the following projects:
* San Diego Freeway: Add carpool connectors with the Garden Grove and the 605 freeways. Cost: $400 million.
* Riverside Freeway: Add a lane in each direction at Lakeview Avenue to Gypsum Canyon Road, and an eastbound lane from California 241 to California 71 and a westbound lane from the 71 to the 241. Also add westbound lanes from the Orange Freeway to the Santa Ana Freeway. Cost: $278 million.
* Orange Freeway: Add a northbound lane from Lambert to Tonner Canyon roads, and northbound lanes from Katella Avenue to Lambert Road. Cost: $295 million.
* Santa Ana Freeway: Improve the Ortega Highway interchange and the Gene Autry Way carpool connector in Anaheim. Cost: $110 million.
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Unclogging the roads
More lanes for the Riverside and Orange freeways and carpool connectors between the San Diego and San Gabriel freeways top the list of $1 billion in road projects the Orange County Transportation Authority is seeking to fund with bond money.
Proposed improvements
(in millions of dollars)
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Riverside Freeway
Eastbound lane from SR-241 to SR-71: $78
Westbound lane from SR-71 to SR-241: *50
Westbound lanes from SR-57 to I-5: 45
One lane in each direction Lakeview Avenue to Gypsum Canyon Rd.: 50
Westbound lane from SR-55 to Tustin Avenue: 55
Total Riverside Freeway: $278
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San Diego and Garden Grove freeways
Carpool connectors 22/405 and I-405/I-605, and
second carpool lane on I-405 from 22 to I-605**: $400
Total San Diego/Garden Grove freeways: $400
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Orange Freeway
Northbound lane from Lambert Road to Tonner Canyon Road: $114
Northbound lanes from Katella Avenue to Lambert Road: 181
Total Orange Freeway: $295
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Santa Ana Freeway
Improve I-5/SR-74 Interchange: $75
Gene Autry Way carpool connector to the west: 35
Total Santa Ana Freeway: $110
Total all freeways: $1,083
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*Estimated OCTA portion of Riverside County Transportation Commission SR-241 to I-15 widening project
**Design and construction could overlap, reducing costs by $100 million.
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Source: OCTA. Graphics reporting by David Reyes
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