Truck Lanes Coming Soon!
The
Interstate 5 Gateway Improvement Project Is Transitioning from Concept
to Reality: Carpool Lanes Are Being Designed and the Truck Lanes Are
Scheduled to Start Construction Later This Year.
By Tim WhyteInterchange EditorIt’s a model of public-private, multi-agency cooperation, and later this year, you’ll see
tangible
signs of it coming to fruition: The Interstate 5 Los Angeles-Santa
Clarita Improvement Project is scheduled to begin construction.
“This
doesn’t mark the end of our journey,” said Tom DiPrima, president of
the Golden State Gateway Coalition. “However, we have reached several
key milestones in the evolution of this important improvement to one of
our nation’s most crucial transportation corridors.”
Those milestones:
• The Phase 1 truck lanes project has its funding in place and has been put out for construction bids.
• Construction on Phase 1 is now scheduled to start later this…
[+] read more
Truck Lanes Coming Soon!
The
Interstate 5 Gateway Improvement Project Is Transitioning from Concept
to Reality: Carpool Lanes Are Being Designed and the Truck Lanes Are
Scheduled to Start Construction Later This Year.
By Tim WhyteInterchange EditorIt’s a model of public-private, multi-agency cooperation, and later this year, you’ll see
tangible
signs of it coming to fruition: The Interstate 5 Los Angeles-Santa
Clarita Improvement Project is scheduled to begin construction.
“This
doesn’t mark the end of our journey,” said Tom DiPrima, president of
the Golden State Gateway Coalition. “However, we have reached several
key milestones in the evolution of this important improvement to one of
our nation’s most crucial transportation corridors.”
Those milestones:
• The Phase 1 truck lanes project has its funding in place and has been put out for construction bids.
• Construction on Phase 1 is now scheduled to start later this year.
• The carpool lanes (high occupancy vehicle lanes) portion of the project is being designed.
The
first phase of the project will consist of 4 miles of new truck
climbing lanes in both directions north of the I-5 interchange with
State Route 14. Construction bids are being accepted for this phase of
the project, which is scheduled to start construction later this year,
with completion expected in late 2013.
The second phase, consisting
primarily of much-needed carpool lanes between Parker Road and the
Newhall Pass, is being designed now and is expected to be ready to begin
construction in 2014.
“All of the partners on this project are doing
a tremendous job of bringing it to fruition,” DiPrima said. “We’re
especially grateful to Caltrans and Metro for their support, and for
recognizing its importance to the entire region.”
Caltrans
(California Department of Transportation) is the lead agency for the
project, and has been working with the support and cooperation of the
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The last
significant pre-construction hurdle for Phase 1 was cleared in June when
the California Transportation Commission authorized $53.6 million in
funds for the project from the State Highway Operation and Protection
Program (SHOPP).
The project has also received $56 million in funding
support through Metro from Measure R, which was approved by Los Angeles
County voters in November 2008 to provide funding for transportation
improvement projects countywide.
Federal leaders have played
important roles, too: U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon led the effort to
secure a $1.6 million allotment from SAFETEA-LU, the national surface
transportation authorization bill, in 2005, and also a $750,000
allocation in the 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
Appropriations Act.
“It’s truly been a team effort to bring us to
this point,” said Victor Lindenheim, executive director of the Golden
State Gateway Coalition, which was formed in 2002 to marshal public and
private support for improvements to the I-5 “Gateway” in northern Los
Angeles County. “It’s especially gratifying to see everyone’s hard work
paying off, and to know the I-5 improvement project will soon start
paying dividends for everyone who relies on I-5.”
The highly
anticipated project is expected to directly create more than 6,000 jobs,
with additional indirect benefits to the regional job market. Also
among the project benefits are improved safety, reduced traffic
congestion and smoother movement of goods in and out of the greater Los
Angeles area.
“The truck lanes in particular will provide a
noticeable benefit to every commuter who has to travel between the Santa
Clarita Valley and the San Fernando Valley each day,” Lindenheim said.
“Whether your commute takes you northbound or southbound, you know the
Newhall Pass can be a major bottleneck for truck traffic. The Phase 1
truck lanes will alleviate that truck back-up that clogs the traffic
lanes in both directions.”
It’s estimated that more than 19,000 trucks travel on I-5 in northern Los Angeles County every day.
“Obviously,
that’s a lot of truck traffic,” Lindenheim said. “And now that this
project is gearing up for construction, motorists will soon see very
real, very tangible evidence that help is on the way, and not one
commute too soon.”
[-]
