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Politics & Government

Traffic Snarls Begin as Crown Valley Widening Gets Under Way

The multimillion-dollar project will continue through 2012.

An orange-neon sign at eastbound Crown Valley Parkway and Greenfield quietly blinks the message "Crown Valley widening project begins July 2011 through 2012" as drivers creep along the main thoroughfare of Laguna Niguel.

The multimillion-dollar project began July 13; completion is expected in January 2013. A railing has been installed, reducing Crown Valley Parkway to three lanes from four.

Another message board has been placed in Mission Viejo for westbound traffic on Crown Valley. Motorists are encouraged to use alternative east-west routes during construction.

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Locals had better be ready for dust, long traffic lines, noise, heavy equipment and removal of business signs from yesteryear (such as the one accompanying this story).

Although drivers will not be formally directed to alternative routes, they may want to consider using Avery Parkway or Oso Parkway to get to and from the freeway, said City Manager Tim Casey.

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Cabot Road can also serve as an alternative route between La Paz Road and Paseo de Colinas.

The $11-million project is designed to reduce traffic congestion on Crown Valley as it enters I-5 and improve access to the area—which will soon see residential construction.

The project will add two eastbound lanes between Forbes and the I-5 southbound ramps. It will also add one westbound lane between the I-5 northbound and southbound ramps. This will allow freeway-bound traffic to be separated from through traffic, officials said. The extra lanes will provide additional space for traffic exiting I-5 at Crown Valley and heading east.

The city says it is taking measures to ensure that the project will proceed smoothly, including planning for the reduction in road capacity. Director of Public Works Dave Rogers said the city expects to have three of the four lanes that lead to I-5 from Crown Valley open during construction.

“Since the project is confined to the south side of Crown Valley [eastbound], we should be able to minimize traffic impacts for most of the construction,” Rogers said. “However, there will be times when there is a much greater impact to traffic, such as when the freeway has to be closed at night.”

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