A new carpool lane in each direction of I-5 in South Orange County is open to drivers, marking the completion of a vital freeway improvement project that eases traffic congestion for tens of thousands of daily commuters through SanClemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano.

Freeway and ramp lane reductions and closures for the I-5 South County project. The schedule is subject to change due to inclement weather or unforeseen operational issues.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 12 are proposing improvements to 4.8 miles of Interstate 5 (I-5) in the City of San Clemente from south of the San Diego County line to Avenida Pico (Project).

ORANGE – Planning is underway to provide traffic relief to Orange County’s southernmost communities along Interstate 5, part of an ongoing plan to ease freeway congestion for residents, workers and visitors through South County.

ORANGE – Drivers traveling in south Orange County are advised that weekend closures are planned at Avenida Pico in San Clemente as crews reconfigure the road and freeway ramps as part of the I-5 South County Improvements Project.

At I-5 and PCH/Camino Las Ramblas, crews are wrapping up work on the concrete median barrier. The barrier is being realigned as part of the freeway widening. Further south, at the I-5/Avenida Pico interchange, crews are within a few months of finishing work.

Avoid the area if possible from 6 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 5, when traffic volume is expected to be at its highest. Following the traffic shift, crews will demolish the remainder of the old Pico bridge.

This project is one of three being advanced as part of a 2020 agreement between the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), and Caltrans to help address near-term South Orange County traffic relief.

Beginning this week, for up to three months drivers will need to use different routes to access areas near the Camino de Estrella interchange as part of the South County Improvements in San Clemente. Motorists using the Camino de Estrella on-ramp will be detoured to the Camino Las Ramblas off-ramp.

ORANGE – On Monday, the OCTA and Metrolink project team observed that soil and debris from the privately owned slope above the rail line near Mariposa Point (Milepost 204.2) in San Clemente continued to move toward the track, reaching a point that triggered freight traffic to be halted.