I-5 Gateway Project

Improving the Gateway to Orange County

Construction began in spring 2006 on the I-5 Gateway Project. The four-year project is widening the remaining two miles of the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) in Orange County from the Riverside Freeway (State Route 91) to the Los Angeles County line. The I-5 Gateway Project is the final link in Measure M’s (Orange County’s half-cent transportation sales tax) ambitious freeway improvement program and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2010.

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More Information:
Construction Alerts
Project Schedule
Construction Photo Album
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Project Fact Sheet
Project Brochure

Beach Boulevard to Have Limited Lanes for 19 Months

Once the Stanton Avenue bridge opened in March, work moved to the Beach Boulevard overpass, which is being rebuilt in two phases and will take approximately 19 months to complete. During the most of the reconstruction, there are only two lanes available in each direction on Beach Boulevard where it crosses I-5. 

Also, the southbound Beach Boulevard left-turn lanes onto the I-5 southbound on-ramp are closed for 19 months.  During the reconstruction of the bridge, the best way to access southbound I-5 from southbound Beach Boulevard is to take the eastbound Riverside Freeway (SR-91) to southbound I-5.

Delegation of Officials from Mexico Tour I-5 Gateway Project
On September 12, 2008, a delegation of mayors, secretaries of economic development, council members, architects, and engineers from the Mexican state of Guanajuato got a special, "behind-the-scenes" tour of the I-5 Gateway Project. OCTA Director Art Brown and Caltrans Deputy District Director Jim Beil welcomed the group of 10 officials who experienced the impact of pile driving first hand while out on the job site. Benito Mora Segovia, Secretary of Economic Development, expressed that the delegation was happy to have been treated to a tour of such a project and given the opportunity to ask questions. They especially enjoyed meeting the actual people that are building the project. He said they left excited and with a lot of enthusiasm to start implementing many of the things they learned. The tour was part of a three-day trip to Orange County to give the officials a better understanding of construction projects in the United States. To view a picture from the event, click here.

Full Closures of Beach Boulevard at I-5

While Beach Boulevard will remain open with limited lanes for most of the 19-month reconstruction, there will be two occasions during that time when the street will be fully closed at I-5.

Beach Boulevard will be fully closed for:

• three weeks in January 2009*
• two days in September 2009*

 Beach Closure Information 

*Dates subject to change.

For more information, contact Alice Rogan at arogan@octa.net or 714.560.5577.

I-5 Freeway Widening Improvements in Los Angeles
To learn more about the I-5 Corridor Improvement Project that is taking place in Los Angeles, contact Jeanne Bonfilio at jeanne_bonfilio@dot.ca.gov or 213.897.3630.

Metro Project Fact Sheet
Metro Carmenita Fact Sheet