Good-Bye Jack, So Long Chevron

The last Jumbo Jack has been served, the last gallon of over-priced gasoline has been pumped.

Caltrans shut down and cordoned off two businesses at the corner of Ortega Highway and Del Obispo Street Monday.

“The plan is to demolish the buildings as soon as possible,” said David Richardson, public information officer for Caltrans, said of the former Jack in the Box and Chevron station.

Caltrans needs the space to expand the Ortega interchange with the I-5. Construction is still scheduled to begin in February, Richardson said.

As a Patch editor photographed the properties, a passerby yelled through her SUV window: “We’re mad, because that’s our Jack in the Box!”

The state agency acquired the properties through court proceedings, Richardson said.

“While we’ve taken control of the properties, it’s still going through the eminent domain proceeding to establish their value,” he added.

The local sheriff’s deputies found the perfect use for the dark fencing that went up around the old Chevron. With the red-light cameras now down, a deputy on a motorcycle perched himself on Ortega, waiting for drivers to violate the no-turn-on-red sign.

Meanwhile, the bridge-widening project at the Camino Capistrano off-ramp continues, Richardson said.  The southbound off-ramp will be closed this week on the following days:

• Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 25
• Thursday, Oct. 25, from 11:59 p.m. to 5: a.m., Friday, Oct. 26
• Friday, Oct. 26, from 11:59 p.m. to 6 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 27