On March 25, the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors approved a $679.4 million budget for the I-5 North County Enhancement Project in the Santa Clarita Valley, moving the project into the construction phase.
The project is designed to enhance the operations and safety of the freeway corridor, improve the movement of freight and passenger vehicles, and accommodate expected growth between Santa Clarita and Castaic in large part through the addition of one HOV lane in each direction.
Improvements will also involve a two-mile extension of truck lanes, improvements to auxiliary lanes, and widening or upgrading seven bridges, including the replacement of the Weldon Canyon Bridge.
This project is deemed to be the highest priority for North Los Angeles County. These critical mobility improvements moving forward because local Santa Clarita Valley stakeholders who have advocated for these enhancements. The I-5 is the backbone for trade in the western U.S. and our federal and state partners recognize its importance.
The Metro Board also approved a $170.3 million light rail vehicle overhaul contract with Kinkisharyo for four and half years that will ensure more than 100 jobs remain in the Antelope Valley at the company’s plant in Palmdale. With all the challenges workers have endured over the past year, this is great news for the City of Palmdale, the greater Antelope Valley, and Los Angeles County.
