Countywide : ‘Crush’ Commuters Get a Break Today
Commuters traversing the notorious “Orange Crush” freeway interchange were expected to get a boost early today with the long-awaited reopening of the connector from the northbound Santa Ana Freeway to the westbound Garden Grove Freeway.
Closed for the last 3 1/2 years as part of the $71.3-million reconstruction of the Santa Ana-Garden Grove-Orange freeways interchange, the connector historically has accommodated about 19,300 cars a day.
After being widened and realigned, California Department of Transportation officials said, the almost-forgotten connector in Orange is expected to handle as many as 28,300 computers daily.
“It’s an important connector,” Caltrans spokeswoman Maureena Duran-Rojas said. “It’s part of the fifth-busiest interchange in the nation.”
In addition to the redesigned connector, she said, Caltrans workers have added a new off-ramp from the Garden Grove Freeway to Bolsa Street and La Veta Avenue, also scheduled to open today.
The reconstruction of the interchange, including the widening of a portion of the Santa Ana Freeway, is scheduled for completion next fall.
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