A $679.4 million budget is set to be considered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro Board) next week for the I-5 North County Enhancements Project, which plans to expand lanes on the I-5 Freeway in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Introduced in a motion by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the I-5 North County Enhancements Project plans to expand traffic lanes beginning at the I-5 and 14 Freeway interchange in an effort to prepare for population increases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Approved by the Metro Construction Board Thursday, the Metro Board of Directors is expected to consider final approval of the $679.4 million budget at their scheduled meeting on March 25.
“It should speed things up,” said Victor Lindenheim, Executive Director at Golden State Gateway Coalition, a non-profit formed in 2002 advocating for freeway enhancements. “The project adds capacity, separates trucks from cars, and makes for a safer and better commute.”
Santa Clarita, which is now the third-largest city in Los Angeles County, is expected to increase its population by more than 25,000 people by 2035, according to the City of Santa Clarita’s website.
To prepare for this increase and relieve congestion in the Santa Clarita Valley, Metro and Caltrans District 7 plan to enact these enhancements from the Newhall Pass to just south of Parker Road in Castaic.
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The projected enhancements include:
- Addition of high occupancy vehicle (carpool) lanes in each direction along the I-5
- Extension of the northbound truck lane from Gavin Canyon undercrossing to Calgrove Boulevard off-ramp
- Addition of southbound truck lane from Calgrove Blvd. on-ramp to SR-14
- Addition of outside lanes extending between an on-ramp and a subsequent off-ramp
According to Metro officials, these improvements plan to enhance safety on the freeway by removing trucks from the general-purpose lanes and increasing access for merging.
The new lanes are expected to provide a much faster and smoother driving experience in the area for locals and travelers, officials say. These improvements are part of Metro’s multi-phase program aiming to improve Los Angeles over the next 30 years.
The plan has been brought to fruition from the combined efforts of Golden State Gateway Coalition, North County Coalition and Metro.
The concluded design for the freeway extensions were finalized in 2019, with a scheduled goal of construction completion by 2026. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
“Relief is on the way,” Lindenheim said.
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