Inter change News and updates from a coalition of community and business leaders focused on the health and vitality of California’s transportation backbone — Interstate 5
Volume 5, No. 1 Summer 2007 On the Road to Relief
ALSO INSIDE Message from the Executive Director — Page 2
Profile: The Caltrans Team — Page 2
Coalition Launches New Website — Page 5
‘Why I-5 Is Important to Me” — Page 6
North County Project Updates — Page 8
Message from the Chairman — Page 10
www.goldenstategateway.org Phone: 661.775.0455 Fax: 661.294.8188 25709 Rye Canyon Road, Caltrans launches a study that could pave the way Suite 105 Santa Clarita, CA 91355 for an extreme Interstate 5 makeover — Story, page 3 From the Caltrans Assigns Well-Qualified Executive Director Team to I-5 Study Turning Kosinski: Project goals Money Into include increased safety, congestion relief Mobility and environmental re - By Victor Lindenheim Executive Director, sponsibility. Golden State Gateway Coalition
fter the passage of the infra - xperience. Attentiveness. Expertise. structure bond proposal Leadership. These are just some of (Proposition 1B) last year, a the qualifications possessed by the sAigh of collective relief could be CEaltrans team assigned to the Interstate 5 heard from California’s voters — es - HOV and Truck Lane Study, which is ex - pecially from those of us who live pected to pave the way for much-needed and work in Southern California, improvements to the I-5 corridor in north - Ronald Kosinski and know the chronic pain of free - ern Los Angeles County. way gridlock. Heading the Caltrans team is Ronald Today, there is Kosinski, Caltrans’ deputy district director transportation projects in the Los Angeles guarded opti - for Environmental Planning, who has pro - and Ventura region. His division is respon - mism. Our fund - vided valuable leadership to the state sible for securing environmental approvals less, gridlocked transportation agency for more than two for all elements of the I-5 widening proj - thinking of the decades. ect, the I-405 widening project, the recent past has In discussing the I-5 project, Kosinski Alameda Rail Corridor and the agency’s been uplifted emphasizes the value being placed on $1 billion High Occupancy Vehicle with hopeful public input, and on increasing motorist (HOV) lanes plan. thoughts: “We safety while remaining sensitive to the en - Prior to this, Kosinski was a senior en - have some Victor vironment and improving the quality of vironmental planner, a supervisory posi - money to build Lindenheim life for everyone who depends on I-5. tion. Under his direction, the agency roads. Conges - He takes particular pride in the impend - completed environmental documents for tion relief is on the way.” ing realization of the I-5 widening project transportation projects costing more than Now, optimism is a good thing after many years of planning. $2.8 billion. He was also functional man - that can lead to good outcomes — “Caltrans is working closely with the ager for Orange County projects including but only when tempered by reality affected agencies and the public to evalu - all clearances for projects along the I-5, and supplemented by hard work and ate the I-5 truck lane and carpool lane pro - Route 1, as well as the HOV additions to focus. posals in the Santa Clarita Valley,” Routes 55, 57, 91 and 405. The reality is that we need to Kosinski said. “Four alternatives are being Noted accomplishments also include work together to ensure that north - studied at this time which have benefits as the pending improvements on Routes 1, ern Los Angeles County gets its fair well as impacts to the residents, business 10, 71, 101, 138, and 405 in Los Angeles share of transportation dollars from and motoring public. Our goal is to relieve County as well as Routes 23, 202 and 118 the state. And the federal govern - congestion, improve mobility and enhance in Ventura County. ment. And the county. safety, while addressing the environmental Kosinski credits the knowledge and And that is where the hard work concerns of the impacted communities.” skills of his staff in moving the projects and focus come in. through the environmental process. We have a plan for improving About Ronald Kosinski In anticipation of future highway im - transportation in our part of the Kosinski heads the Division of Envi - provement projects, Kosinski and the Di - county. LACMTA’s 2004 North ronmental Planning, and in that role he vision of Environmental Planning are See Lindenheim, page 5 manages 53 multi-disciplinary profession - working with the Right of Way division on als who develop environmentally sound See Caltrans, page 4
Page 2 INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 I-5 Study Under Way
Scoping Session ad Ro s . he Rd ug te The I-5 Study Marks Beginning H ou ke e R La idg d/R r R of Environmental rke Caltrans is weighing the options for a freeway Pa improvement project on Interstate 5 in the Review Process; Santa Clarita Valley. The project would add carpool and truck lanes to the freeway Construction between the I-5/SR14 interchange on the south and Parker Road on the north. d May Start in 2009 Roa yon Can ley Has End Study altrans has officially Newhall Ranch Road launched the public review and study processes for much- 126 d Roa needed improvements along the yon Can ICnterstate 5 corridor through the Rye SCanta Clarita Valley. way k ain Par Mount The improvements, advo - Magic cated by the Golden State Gate - way Coalition, would include ard carpool and truck climbing lanes oulev ncia B to help decrease congestion and Vale upgrade traffic flow along this ay vital section of I-5, the backbone Parkw Bean of California’s transportation Mc network.
“It’s really to improve the venue ons A ad/Ly overall movement of cars and on Ro Cany trucks on Interstate 5,” said Bob Pico Blume, a project manager for
Strategic Infrastructure Solu - d ar ev ul tions, a consultant on the project. Bo ve ro Blume reviewed the planned lg project alternatives for the ap - Begin Study Ca proximately 30 people who at - 14 tended the Caltrans scoping d session June 4 at Santa Clarita ar ev City Hall. ul Bo a bo The scoping session was the al beginning of the public review B process for the project. Caltrans Deputy Director Ron Kosinski Map not to scale said the scoping period would Source: Caltrans proceed through June, after which the environmental studies would get under way — an en - vironmental impact report in The study zone for the proposed Interstate 5 improvement project ranges from the See Scoping, page 7 I-5/SR14 interchange on the south to Parker Road on the north.
INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Page 3 Caltrans “This I-5 improvement project is an im - Continued from page 2 portant public/private partnership... (the the purchase of 500 to 1,000 acres of Santa Clara River habitat that it can use as a mitigation land bank for future projects in west project) has the potential to improve Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. This will enable expedited traffic operations and relieve congestion approvals of the numerous Caltrans transportation improvements needed in this area. in this region.” Other anticipated projects being handled by the Environmental — Ashraf Habbak Planning Division under Kosinski’s leadership include a fish pas - sage grant proposal that would restore the steelhead trout migra - Project Manager tion to Solstice Creek in Malibu. The Division is working with several agencies on this project. Kosinski, 58, is married with one son. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from California State University at Long Beach and a master’s degree in urban planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where his son now at - About the Caltrans tends.
Division of Environmental Planning Ashraf Habbak The Division of Environmental Planning, which is over - Ashraf Habbak, the project manager on the I-5 HOV and seeing the Interstate 5 HOV and Truck Lane Study, in - Truck Lane Study, has been a project manager for Caltrans for cludes a variety of specialized offices with varied areas of five years. Before that he worked for Caltrans in construction for 11 years. expertise and responsibilities: “This I-5 improvement project is an important public/pri - vate partnership,” Habbak said. “Caltrans would like to thank Offices the Golden State Gateway Coalition, the Southern California I Biological/Mountain Area Branch Association of Governments and the Federal Highway Ad - I Central Area/Port and Rail/GIS Service Branch ministration for their partnership, teamwork and dedication to I Cultural Resources and LA County Local Assistance initiate and fund this study portion of the project, which has Branch the potential to improve traffic operations and relieve conges - tion in this region.” I Ventura County Branch I Coastal Area-Maintenance Biological Service Branch Division of Environmental Planning I Foothill Area/Consultant Contract Services Branch The Division of Environmental Planning serves the environ - I Resource Management/Grants Coordination Section mental needs of District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura Counties). I NEPA Delegation It consists of a multi-disciplinary team of more than 50 individ - uals with specialties in a wide range of areas such as envi - I Local Assistance QA/QC Branch ronmental analysis, biology, archaeological resources, architectural history and social community impacts assessment. Responsibilities The Division also coordinates with other specialists in air, noise I Prepare all CEQA & NEPA documents (California Envi - and water quality, landscape architecture and hazardous materials ronmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act) testing. The Division administers Caltrans’ responsibilities under I Secure environmental permits from various agencies as federal and state law in response to the National Environmental needed Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the California Environmental I Prepare biological studies Quality Act (CEQA) of 1973. I Prepare cultural & historical reports In response to the passage of a host of environmentally related I Consult with Native American groups laws and regulations, plus heightened public support for the en - vironment, the division’s environmental responsibilities have I Assist local agencies on environmental activities grown to become a substantive and inseparable part of Caltrans’ I Manage environmental specialty consultants planning, development, construction, operation and maintenance I Monitor and report on mitigation efforts. I Prepare & implement environmental grants The Division’s basic building blocks are environmental plan - I Ensure maintenance environmental compliance ners. Environmental planners are part of an interdisciplinary team who integrate social, economic and environmental elements of I Ensure Right-of-Way environmental compliance systems and project planning into local and regional facilities See Team, page 5
Page 4 INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Team The Caltrans Team Continued from page 4 The following people are members of the Caltrans team working on the Interstate 5 HOV and Truck Lane Study: planning and development. They perform a wide variety of functions throughout the Ron Kosinski, Deputy District Director for Environmental Planning Caltrans project development process, from project initiation Steve Novotny, Office Chief, Project Management through construction and operation. They are an integral el - ement of the project development team, providing input on Carlos Montez, Senior Environmental Planner the development of alternatives and the evaluation and mit - Chris Benz-Blumberg, Environmental Planner igation of impacts. Greg Damico, Design Manager Caltrans officials say the Division of Environmental Plan - Ashraf Habbak, Project Manager ning is a critical functional unit which must have a clear vi - Karen Fong, Office Chief, Design sion to be successful. The primary vision, shared with all of the Caltrans district offices, is to ensure timely delivery of Andrew Yoon, Senior Air Quality Engineer environmentally sound projects. San Alameddine, Office Chief, Planning Consistent with that vision, Kosinski said the Division of Patty McCauley, Senior Structural Engineer Environmental Planning constantly strives to create projects Dawn Helou, Senior Engineer, HOV Operations that balance the needs of the motoring public while exercis - Gary Iverson, Senior Environmental Planner ing appropriate care for the environment. “I believe that the people of California appreciate our hard work and inven - Jim DeLuca, Senior Design Engineer tiveness in ensuring that Caltrans projects are planned and Lily Kam, Senior Engineer, Operations constructed to be as environmentally sensitive as possible.”
2004 LACMTA North County Com - Coalition Launches Lindenheim bined Highway Corridors Study. In Continued from page 2 2006, the project was listed by Metro as first among 16 countywide projects New Website in highway project cost effectiveness County Combined Highway Corridors (i.e. annual vehicle hours saved per The Golden State Gateway Coalition has Study laid out a comprehensive blue - million dollars expended). In the Gov - launched a new, updated Website designed print for what is needed, transportation- ernor’s 2007 Goods Movement Action to keep its members and supporters contin - wise, to accommodate the next 20 Plan, the proposed truck lane segments uously updated on the Coalition’s efforts in years of growth in population and com - of this project were specifically cited as support of improvements to Interstate 5. merce in northern Los Angeles County. a candidate project for bond funding. Coalition supporters can find the site at In this document, critical recommenda - More than 200,000 vehicles — in - www.goldenstategateway.org , and Web tions are made for improving all three cluding more than 19,000 trucks — uti - visitors who look for the Coalition’s site at of the roadways in our golden trans - lize I-5 every day in northern Los www.goldenstategateway.com will also be portation triangle: Interstate 5, State Angeles County. That is an astounding directed to the site. Route14 and State Route 138. 73 million vehicles a year — including The Website will be updated regularly The price tag for all the recom - more than 7 million trucks. And these with a variety of new, current information mended improvements, including free - figures are projected to increase by 65 on the Interstate 5 improvement project ways and transit, comes to $5.4 billion percent in the next 10 years and by 114 as well as many other Northern Los An - in today’s dollars. Clearly, priorities percent in the next 20 years. geles County roadway improvement must be set. We at the Golden State Additional capacity on this section projects that are of interest to the Coali - Gateway Coalition believe adding of I-5 is desperately needed to accom - tion and its members. truck lanes and carpool lanes to Inter - modate current and future vehicle traf - The site has been redesigned on the state 5 should be our region’s roadway fic growth. Along with mitigating “front end” to update its appearance and transportation priority. Caltrans and our traffic congestion, adding truck lanes provide easy access to news and informa - members have committed resources to and carpool lanes to I-5 will provide tion. The site also has a new “back end” supporting this project and ensuring its significant economic, environmental giving members tools to update their own timely construction. and public safety benefits to all Inter - contact information, and also will better en - This project, originally proposed by state 5 users. able the Coalition to communicate with LACMTA and first approved for fur - This is a project that deserves fund - members and supporters. ther development by Caltrans in a ing and needs to be designed and built Your feedback is welcomed and can be March 2003 project report, is included as soon as possible. And with your con - sent to: among the highest priorities cited in the tinued support, it will be. [email protected].
INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Page 5 ‘Why I-5 Is Important to Me’
By Carl Goldman Co-Owner, KHTS AM-1220 Radio Testimonial In future issues of Interchange , the or the past several years, I have been part of a group representing Golden State Gateway Coalition will Santa Clarita in both Washing - publish testimonials from community Fton, D.C., (the Santa Clarita Valley members regarding the importance of Chamber of Commerce annual trip) Interstate 5. Readers are encouraged and Sacramento (the KHTS AM-1220 Radio, Valencia Acura, Cameron to submit their own testimonials, which Smyth annual trip). On all these jour - can be as brief as a sentence or two neys, we have made the expansion of or, if you are inclined, a more detailed Interstate 5 one of our most important guest commentary on the subject. priorities. Interstate 5 is the most critical West Testimonials can be e-mailed to: Coast artery, linking Canada to Mex - [email protected] . ico. As the gateway in and out of the Carl Goldman most populated area, Los Angeles, it is critical for the Interstate 5 to handle ways, both directly and indirectly. of traffic, particularly during peak our traffic. We immediately need the When there is an emergency, whether hours, is way above the maximum extension of the truck lanes and car - it is a tanker overspill, mudslide, brush load. Not only does this impact the pool lanes running from the 5/14 Free - fire, snowstorm on the Grapevine, or movement of goods throughout our way interchange, all the way up past an earthquake, the surface streets of nation, it also directly impacts our val - Castaic. Santa Clarita have often become the ley economically, as well as our The flow of traffic on Interstate 5 only way to connect the State. lifestyle. impacts Santa Clarita in so many During non-emergencies, the load Some of the obvious direct impacts are on our real estate, our retail busi - nesses, and our air pollution. Some of the more subtle impacts are on our ed - Top Ten Reasons to Support ucation and crime, because as our property values and sales tax decrease every other important aspect of our Improvements to Interstate 5 quality of life is also diminished. I wear a number of hats in our Val - ley. In addition to co-owning Santa The Golden State Gateway Coalition believes there are many great Clarita’s only local radio station with reasons to favor I-5 improvements in Northern Los Angeles County, my wife Jeri, I serve as Vice President and these are the Top 10. We'll take a closer look at each of them in of Government Affairs on the Execu - future newsletters and Web site updates: tive Board of Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. I am also the 1. Relieve congestion and improve mobility chair of the local American Red Cross 2. Public safety Council, and the chair of the Santa Clarita Valley Disaster Coalition. In all 3. To facilitate goods movement these capacities, I am convinced the 4. Jobs and economic development expansion of Interstate 5 needs to be - 5. To accommodate growth in commerce and population come one of our top priorities. 6. Air quality and pollution abatement As we look to the future of our val - 7. Energy conservation ley, we need to make certain Interstate 8. Homeland security and strategic importance 5 can always handle the capacity and 9. Facilitate access to basic services: healthcare, education, police future capacities of vehicles as they and fire department move through our valley. I urge every - 10. Improve the quality of life for Californians and everyone who one to join us in making this a priority uses the I-5 issue for Santa Clarita and our State. Page 6 INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Scoping Continued from page 3 compliance with state regulations and an environmental impact statement to meet federal requirements. The draft EIR/EIS would be released for public review in early-2008, Kosinski said. The environmental reports would be finalized in the summer of 2008 and a de - cision made on the project in the fall of 2008, with construction scheduled to begin a year later. Blume outlined the four basic scenar - ios that could occur: I Alternative 1: No improvements. Under this scenario, no new lanes would be added to I-5 through the Santa Clarita Valley and, according to the Caltrans fact sheet given to citizens at the scoping ses - sion, “the congestion and operational problems in this segment will not be alle - An estimated 19,000 trucks per day travel through the Santa Clarita Valley on viated.” Interstate 5. The new truck lanes being studied by Caltrans are expected to I Alternative 2: This option would add one high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane help alleviate the impacts of that truck traffic. in each direction from the junction of I-5 and State Route 14 to the Parker Road in - dian and shoulder widths. In order to ac - rection to between Magic Mountain terchange in Castaic. This alternative complish this, Caltrans would need to ac - Parkway and Parker Road. would also extend the existing north - quire additional right of way. Caltrans Several residents in attendance at the bound and southbound truck lanes in the officials call this the “Standard Alterna - scoping session addressed the contingent Newhall Pass. The northbound truck lane tive.” of Caltrans officials regarding the project, would extend to Calgrove Boulevard, and I Alternative 4: In short, Alternative 4 asking that sound walls be considered as the southbound truck lane would begin at — known as the “full buildout alterna - part of the improvements, in order to help the Lyons Avenue/Pico Canyon inter - tive” — would add not one, but two reduce traffic noise for those with prop - change. This alternative would be built HOV lanes in each direction on I-5, plus erty near the freeway. almost completely within existing right the extension of the truck lanes all the “The scoping meeting was informa - of way, and would call for narrower-than- way to Parker Road. Standard medians tive,” said Jackie Bick, local field repre - normal median and shoulder widths. Cal - and shoulders would be included, but sentative for state Sen. George Runner. trans officials refer to this alternative as Caltrans would need to acquire additional “Caltrans gave a good review of the var - the “constrained alternative” or “non- right of way to facilitate this option. The ious alternatives, and allowed those with standard alternative.” HOV lanes would transition from double questions to air them. The general tenor I Alternative 3: This alternative would lanes to single lanes between Valencia of the meeting was favorable. We all look implement the same improvements as Al - Boulevard and Magic Mountain Parkway forward to the progression of the proj - ternative 2, but would retain standard me - — providing one HOV lane in each di - ect.” “This was an important step in the process,” said Victor Lindenheim, execu - “The scoping meeting was informative. Caltrans tive director of the Golden State Gateway Coalition. “With the environmental re - gave a good review of the various alternatives, views under way, we can see that the wheels are now in motion to bring much- needed relief for everyone who relies on and allowed those with questions to air them. The Interstate 5.”
general tenor of the meeting was favorable.” Visit www.goldenstategateway.org to — Jackie Bick download a copy of the two-page fact Field representative, state Sen. George Runner sheet Caltrans provided to those attend - ing the scoping meeting.
INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Page 7 Membership A roundup of North Los Angeles County Quick Trips transportation issues and roadway project updates Update The following organizations have added their support to the Golden Contractor Prepares to Build Clarita's website at www.santa-clarita.com or State Gateway Coalition: the project hotline (661) 290-2297, for any I Southern California Edison Retaining Walls Along I-5 extended major lane closures, detours, or I Planning Company Associates news associated with this project. The city of Santa Clarita has provided the I Monteverde Development following update on progress for construction I Jeff Lambert Consulting of the interchange improvements at Interstate Hasley Bridge Construction I Lewis Investment Co. 5 and Magic Mountain Parkway. Set to Start This Month I Standard Pacific Homes I Granite Construction Co. August 2007: The contractor, Security Construction is scheduled to begin in Au - Paving, has completed removal of vegetation gust 2007 for new roundabouts and freeway The Coalition is also pleased to an - in preparation for constructing retaining walls ramps at Hasley Canyon Road and Interstate nounce a new addition to the Coali - along the northbound I-5 off-ramp at Magic 5, according to a status report provided by tion Leadership Council: Mountain Parkway east to Tourney Road. The Richard Yribe of the Los Angeles County I Bishop Henry Hearns, Mayor, next phase for the retaining walls will be the Public Works Department. City of Lancaster coordination with ExxonMobil for the place - Motorists should anticipate an 18- to 20- ment of their new lines. This work will begin month construction period. The northbound the end of August. onramp will be closed for six weeks. The The construction of the storm drain box is new bridge will be built parallel to the existing nearly complete. Construction is continuing bridge, then the existing bridge will be demol - underneath Magic Mountain Parkway west of ished. The Old Road will be widened as part Board of Directors The Old Road. The traffic pattern entering of the project. The total cost is $30 million and exiting the theme park has changed. It is with $2.6 million coming from Castaic B&T Chairman anticipated that construction of the box cul - (bridge and thoroughfare district) fees. Tom DiPrima KB Home vert will last another six to eight weeks. Some delays have been encountered due to unex - Chairman Emeritus County Road Projects: *Gary Cusumano pected underground utilities. The contractor, Security Paving, has begun Santa Clarita Valley Treasurer working on the outlet structure that connects *Don Kimball Newhall Land to the storm drain box that leads into the Santa The following status reports on road proj - Clara River. The City's on-site biologist, En - ects in the Santa Clarita Valley were provided Executive Director/Secretary Victor Lindenheim trix, is monitoring the construction activities by Richard Yribe of the Los Angeles County on a daily basis. Diversion of the channel is Department of Public Works: Directors complete and the dewatering operation will • Sierra Highway over the Santa Clara Tom Clark begin soon for the placement of the rip rap in River — This project to widen the north - Royal Clark Development the river. bound bridge and replace the southbound Mike Dean AT&T is nearing completion of the instal - bridge is being designed and administered by Chiquita Canyon Landfill lation of new conduit lines. There will be in - the County under the Federal Highway Frank Faye termittent ramp closures for the southbound Bridge Program. The project is jurisdiction - SunCal Companies off-ramp for the tie-in of the new conduit to ally shared between the County and the City Amy Glad the existing lines. of Santa Clarita. It is anticipated that the proj - Pardee Homes Currently, we are working on Phase 2 of ect will start in early 2009. Marlee Lauffer the 11 phases for these improvements. The • Sierra Highway over the Southern Cal - Newhall Land anticipated completion of this phase is fall ifornia Regional Rail Authority — This Stephen Lenzi 2007. This phase includes constructing por - project to rehabilitate and replace the existing Auto Club of SoCal tions of freeway on-ramps and off-ramps, the northbound and southbound bridges is being majority of the drainage box, and retaining designed and administered by the City of Larry Rasmussen Spirit Properties walls. During this phase, existing ramps and Santa Clarita under the Federal Highway local roadways (Magic Mountain Parkway Bridge Program. The project is jurisdiction - Bob Stine and The Old Road) will be open for vehicular ally shared between the County and the City Tejon Ranch traffic. of Santa Clarita. The City of Santa Clarita ad - * Non-voting board member Motorists can check the City of Santa See Trips, page 9 Page 8 INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Trips ‘This HOV lane project will improve mobility, Continued from page 8 help to alleviate congestion, encourage vertised this project for construction bids on November 20, 2005. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2008. carpooling and improve air quality.’ • Soledad Canyon Road over Santa — Caltrans Summary Clara River — This project to replace the I-5 HOV lane project, south of Santa Clarita Valley existing bridge is being designed and ad - ministered by the County under the Fed - eral Highway Bridge Program. It is posted to assist motorists. • 90th Street East at Avenue R — This anticipated that the project will start in the In addition, updates on closures will be project involves the installation of a new Summer 2010. distributed to the media, chambers of com - traffic signal at the intersection of 90th merce and cities within the construction Street Eest and Avenue R. The project is area, and information will be posted on the scheduled to start in the Summer 2008 and I-5 HOV Lanes on Schedule Caltrans website — be completed in the Winter 2008. South of the SCV www.dot.ca.gov/dist07 — to keep the • 170th Street East - Avenue J to Av - public informed as work progresses. Con - enue N — The project involves road re - Paving and bridge construction are on struction dates and closures are weather- construction and widening on 170th Street schedule for new carpool lanes on Inter - permitting and subject to change. Caltrans East from Avenue J to Avenue N. The state 5 between State Route 118 and the is aware of concerns regarding nighttime project is tentatively scheduled to start in Antelope Valley Freeway, SR14. noise during construction and will do the Spring 2009. Caltrans is building High Occupancy everything possible to keep the noise to a • 170th Street East - Avenue N to Vehicle (HOV), or carpool lanes, on the minimum. The California Highway Patrol Palmdale Blvd. — The project involves 6.2-mile stretch of I-5 south of the Santa will assist with traffic management when road reconstruction and widening on Clarita Valley. These will be the first HOV necessary. 170th Street East from Avenue N to Palm - lanes on I-5 in Los Angeles County. Cur - dale Boulevard. The project is tentatively rently, the construction work includes con - scheduled to start in the Summer 2009 crete median paving between Interstate County Road Projects: • Avenue J over Littlerock Creek — 405 and Roxford Street, and construction Antelope Valley This project involves the construction of a on freeway bridges in the area. new bridge on Avenue J over Littlerock “This HOV lane project will improve The following status report on road Creek. The project is tentatively sched - mobility, help to alleviate congestion, en - projects in the Antelope Valley was pro - uled to start in the Spring 2010 courage carpooling and improve air qual - vided by Richard Yribe of the Los Angeles • Avenue K- 52nd Street West to 50th ity,” says a Caltrans summary of the County Department of Public Works: Street West — This project involves project. “In addition, soundwalls will be • 20th Street West at Avenue M — This widening the roadway on Avenue K from constructed in various locations along the project involves the installation of a new 52nd Street West to 50th Street West. It is project area to help improve the quality of traffic signal at the intersection of 20th anticipated that the project will start in the life for residents who live alongside the I- Street West and Avenue M. The project Fall 2008. 5 freeway.” also involves roadwork and the installation • Avenue N - 45th Street West to SR 14 Construction on the $41.6-million proj - on a storm drain. The project is jurisdic - Freeway — This project involves widen - ect began in May 2005 and is expected to tionally shared between the County and ing Avenue N from one lane to two lanes be completed this fall. Plant establishment the City of Lancaster. The project is in each direction from 45th Street West to and landscaping are expected to be com - scheduled to start in the Summer 2007 . the SR14 freeway. The project is tenta - pleted in spring 2008. • 50th Street West at Avenue M-8 — tively scheduled to start in early 2010. Caltrans provided the following infor - This project involves the installation of a • Avenue O - 30th Street West to 10th mation on the nature of the work and re - new traffic signal at the intersection of Street West — This project will involve sulting closures: 50th Street West and Avenue M-8.. the widening the roadway on Avenue O to Freeway lane and ramp closures will project is scheduled to start in July 2008 provide two lanes in each direction from take place, mostly overnight, throughout and be completed in the Fall 2008. 30th street West to 10th Street West. The construction. These closures will also in - • 87th Street East at Avenue T — This project will also include widening the volve freeway connectors to and from I-5 project involves the installation of a new bridge over SR14. The project is tenta - at the Foothill Freeway (210), the San traffic signal at the intersection of 87th tively scheduled to start in early 2010. Diego Freeway (I-405), the Antelope Val - Street East and Avenue T. It is anticipated Additional North County Roadway Up - ley Freeway (14) and the Simi Valley that the project will start in the Summer of dates can be found at www.goldenstate - Freeway (118). Signs and detours will be 2008 and be completed in the Fall 2008. gateway.org.
INTERCHANGE, Summer 2007 Page 9 From the Chairman Partners in Transportation Progress By Tom DiPrima pool lanes on Inter - have delivered tangible results. Chairman, state 5 in northern Look at how the Santa Clarita Valley’s Golden State Gateway Coalition Los Angeles County. Cross Valley Connector project, now on As a result, roadway the verge of completion, came to be. Or he standard public/private sector capacity will be in - how the dramatic expansion of College partnership model goes something creased and conges - of the Canyons, the state’s fastest grow - like this: transportation planners in tion will be mitigated. ing community college, was achieved. gTovernment and the private sector align The form and sub - These public/private sector partner - with investment bankers. The investment stance of this partner - Tom ships have several things in common: bankers buy the rights to build and oper - ship is a bit different. strong leadership, committed partners, ate a toll road or to maintain and operate Roadway capacity DiPrima diverse funding sources, along with solid an existing facility. will be increased community support… and the will to get For the risk taken, the investors seek a without any tolls imposed. Ownership of it done. fair return during their tenure as roadway the roadway remains with the state, along The elements are in place for a three- or facility operators. At the end of the with the obligation to maintain it. Every - peat of a successful major infrastructure agreement, the investors can renew the one who depends on Interstate 5 for project in the Santa Clarita Valley. In agreement, sell their interest back to the transporting people, moving goods or de - Caltrans, we have a state agency dedi - government, or walk away, depending on livering services will benefit without any cated to project delivery; a Gateway how the agreement is structured. additional costs to taxpayers. Coalition Board committed to supporting The Golden State Gateway Coalition This public/private sector partnership Caltrans; local, state and federal officials has partnered with Caltrans to support to improve roadway transportation in calling for I-5 improvements and seeking the agency’s project delivery process. northern Los Angeles County is unique, the funding for them; and a motoring This process will lead to the design and but in many ways mirrors other success - public that needs and demands a safer construction of new truck lanes and car - ful local public/private partnerships that and more efficient freeway.
On the Web: www.goldenstategateway.org
Golden State Gateway Coalition 25709 Rye Canyon Road, Suite 105 Santa Clarita, CA 91355
For additions, deletions, change of Content and design copyright 2007 by Golden State Gateway Coalition, Valencia, CA. All rights address or to receive this publication reserved. No part of this publication may be repro - via e-mail, please contact us at the duced in whole or in part, in any form, without the address above of via e-mail at: prior written approval of the Coalition, 25709 Rye Canyon Road, Suite 105, Santa Clarita, CA [email protected] 91355. Phone: 661.775.0455. Fax: 661.294.8188.