Open House Set for 5 Freeway Carpool Extension

With preliminary work under way to extend the carpool lanes on the 5 freeway between San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano and Avenida Pico in San Clemente, Orange County Transportation Authority officials are seeking input about the project’s environmental impacts.

Community members are invited to attend an open house between 6 and 8 p.m. Jan. 31 to learn about the project and to comment on a draft environmental document. The meeting will be held at the San Clemente Community Development Office, second floor, 910 Calle Negocio.

A presentation on the project will also be given during the .

OCTA estimates that 242,000 vehicles travel each day on the 5 freeway near the Camino Capistrano interchange. Projections estimate the number could rise to 300,000 in the future, an increase of nearly 25 percent.

The $275-million project will link Orange County’s carpool lane network. It will minimize the number of times drivers weave between traffic lanes where the current carpool lanes end. It will also help carpool users maintain their speeds, spokesman Joel Zlotnik said in a statement.

The project is funded by Measure M2, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. Pending environmental approval, construction is scheduled to begin in 2015.

For more information, visit octa.net/I-5HOV.

Editor's Note: This version of the story correctly identifies the cost of the project as $275-million.