OC I-5 South County

The I-5 South County Improvement Projects include two freeway segments along the I-5: Avenida Pico to San Juan Creek Road and SR-73 to El Toro Road. Improvements are slated to begin in early 2014 for the Avenida Pico to San Juan Creek segment. The SR-73 to El Toro segment is in the final design phase, with construction anticipated to begin in 2018.
Avenida Pico to San Juan Creek Road
This 5.7-mile project extends from Avenida Pico in San Clemente to San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano. The $230 million project will:
*Add a carpool lane in both directions on I-5 with continuous access between Avenida Pico and PCH
*Improve the sight distance on the southbound horizontal curve north of PCH
*Reconstruct the interchange at Avenida Pico
*Widen the northbound Avenida Pico on-ramp to three lanes
*Provide dual left-turn lanes to both northbound and southbound Avenida Pico on-ramps
*Add sound walls where needed

El Toro Road to SR-73
Currently, 342,000 motorists travel the I-5 daily between the El Toro Road and the SR-73. Traffic volumes are projected to increase 35 percent by 2030, bringing the total to 460,000 motorists per day. The four-year, $482 million project will:
*Widen the I-5 to accommodate additional general purpose lanes in each direction
*Reestablish existing auxiliary lanes
*Extend the second carpool lane from El Toro Road to Alicia Parkway in both directions
*Modify ramps as needed
*Reconstruct Avery Parkway and La Paz Road interchanges