Questions and Answers
What is the Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) Improvement Project?
The SR-22 Improvement Project will enhance traffic flow and remove bottlenecks along the 12-mile stretch of the Garden Grove Freeway. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is constructing the Improvement Project using the design-build method. The project, which spans the cities of Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Orange, will help accommodate the 200,000 motorists who travel the corridor daily. That number is expected to climb to more than 250,000 cars a day by 2020.
The SR-22 improvements will include:
- A high occupancy vehicle (HOV) or carpool lane in each direction between Tustin Avenue and Valley View Street.
- A new auxiliary lane in each direction between The City Drive and Beach Boulevard and auxiliary lanes between interchanges at various locations.
- A reconfigured connector from southbound Orange Freeway (SR-57) to westbound SR-22. The City Drive on- and off-ramps will be relocated to pass underneath the reconfigured connector. This will eliminate the weaving and lane changing that motorists currently encounter while exiting and entering at The City Drive or merging from southbound SR-57 to westbound SR-22.
- A new collector/distributor road system between The City Drive and the I-5 interchange that separates and improves entering and exiting traffic from eastbound SR-22.
- Additional lanes on various on- and off-ramps and signal upgrades on all ramps.
- Soundwalls and landscaping improvements along the project limits.
When did construction on the project begin?
Construction started in September of 2004.
When will construction be completed?
The Improvement Project is scheduled to be complete by November 2006.
What is design-build?
Design-build is a method of construction in which a project is delivered by a single contractor who is responsible for both design work and construction services. Construction on a design-build project can begin before the project's design is fully completed. This overlapping of design and construction can reduce the overall time necessary to complete the project.
Why is OCTA improving the freeway?
The Garden Grove Freeway is a vital east-west route linking five major freeways in central Orange County. The freeway has had no major improvements since it was built in the 1960s. At that time, Orange County's population was 700,000. Today, the population is nearly 3 million. Accordingly, the number of vehicles using the SR-22 has grown and it does not have sufficient capacity to meet current and future demand. The improvements will ease traffic flow, remove bottlenecks and enhance safety.
How is the project funded?
The total SR-22 Improvement Project cost is $550 million. This figure includes $55 million in additional project improvements including seismic and safety upgrades, city and OCTA Board of Directors requested enhancements, and right-of-way cost impacts approved by the OCTA Board of Directors in April 2006. The project is funded through a combination of sources including $245 million from Orange County's Measure M program, $106 million from federal funds, and $180 million from the State of California's Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP) and Soundwall Retrofit Program. Cities will contribute the remaining balance of $19 million. Approximately $17 million of TCRP funds was used for the advanced construction of soundwalls, which have already been completed on the west end of the project.
How will construction affect the commute on the Garden Grove Freeway?
The flow of traffic will improve once construction is complete. During construction motorists may experience some delays. However, construction crews will be working to ensure the project is completed on time and with minimal inconveniences. To accommodate motorists traveling through the area, there will be minimal closures during peak travel times or holidays.
Why do you have to work at night?
We work at night to keep traffic flowing during peak hours. Often lane closures are necessary to complete a construction activity safely. In order to maintain progress and stay on schedule the contractor may also choose to work at night. We make every effort to regularly notify communities prior to these activities so the appropriate arrangements can be made.
Why do the improvements include the addition of HOV (carpool) lanes?
The SR-22 freeway is the only freeway in Orange County that has not been updated to incorporate HOV lanes.
Studies show that carpool lanes work in Orange County. People who use carpool lanes report average timesavings of 40 minutes per day, or more than a third of their total commute time. (Source: Southern California Association of Governments)
A seamless and complete HOV lane system is needed to ensure Orange County freeways are operating as efficiently as possible. (Source: Center for Demographic Research, CSUF)
Additionally, Orange County does not meet current established state and federal air quality standards. The HOV nature of the project enables the use of federal transportation funds dedicated to projects that contribute to air quality improvements and reduce congestion.
What happened to the trees and vegetation along the Garden Grove Freeway?
Some trees and vegetation along the freeway have been removed to accommodate the widening. Trees, shrubs, vines and groundcover will be replanted in numerous areas along the freeway, such as interchanges and on and off-ramps. Landscaping will begin toward the end of construction and will take at least a year to complete. There are also several hardscape elements to the project including pilasters on soundwalls.
Where can I find out more information about the project?
For more information regarding this project or any other Orange County freeway improvement project, call the toll free Transportation Helpline at (800) 724-0353 or visit
www.octa.net.
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