Construction Ahead for Freeway Bridges

As freeway construction through Placentia gets underway in February and continues for the next three years, work is expected to affect motorists and residents who commute on city streets.

Caltrans will be starting construction later this month on car-pool lanes through the Riverside and Orange freeway interchange to connect with car-pool lanes that will be constructed on the west Riverside Freeway. The project is funded by Orange County Transportation Authority and managed by Caltrans.

Placentia Public Works Director Chris Becker said work on city streets include the removal and replacement of the La Jolla Street and Miraloma Avenue bridges over the Orange Freeway and the Placentia Avenue and Sunkist Avenue bridges over the Riverside Freeway.

The Orange Freeway bridge over Orangethorpe Avenue will be widened.

Becker said construction work will be done in phases. The first phase involves replacement of the La Jolla and Sunkist bridges; both will be closed from mid-February until October.

When that work is completed, Placentia Avenue and Miraloma Avenue bridges will be closed for about eight months. The work on the Orangethorpe bridge will be done in the later stages of the project and will not require street closures.

Becker said a plan to reroute traffic during the bridge closures will be in place to minimize inconveniences to motorists and residents.

A public awareness campaign to inform residents and area businesses will also be in place before the closures. The campaign will include public meetings and distribution of fliers in neighborhoods, Becker said.

Information: (714) 560-5574.