Community Corner

VIDEO: What Life Will Look Like at Pico in 2016

After 2 1/2 years of construction -- scheduled to start next year -- this is what we'll end up with.

Originally posted at 11:32 a.m. Sept. 25, 2013.

Government and business leaders got a first peek into the future of San Clemente, circa 2016 this morning.

The designer of the $275 million project to widen the I-5 from San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano south to the Avenida Pico interchange put together a computer-generated video of what life will look like after the project, especially around Pico.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

There are four, 12-foot lanes  with 10-foot shoulder on each side in both directions. During the construction, there will be four, 11-foot lanes with 2-foot shoulder on each side  in both directions, said project manager for the Orange County Transportation Authority.

When completed, there will be five, 12-foot lanes with 10-foot shoulder on each side of both directions, Torkamanha said.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The end result for commuters getting on or off the freeway at Pico – or just passing through – is that it should be easier, Torkamanha said.

“Basically, the chokepoint is because there are a lot of cars going onto the freeway from Pico,” he said.

The project, which has its own Facebook page, also includes widening the northbound Pico onramp to three lanes.

David Lew of Parsons, the hired designer for the project, said it will take a year to demolish and rebuild half of the bridge over Pico, then another year to demolish the other half and rebuild it. Contractors will need another six months to put the rest of the project – which includes carpool lanes from San Juan Capistrano to Pico – together.

A groundbreaking for the carpool lane additions starting in San Juan is scheduled in just a few months, December or January, said Julie Toledo, in charge of outreach for the project. A second groundbreaking for the Pico portion is about a year away.


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