When the Route Fire burned about 5,000 acres near Castaic in August 2022, prompting closure of the 5 Freeway at The Grapevine followed by weeks of lane closures for repairs, motorists exited onto The Old Road detour, bringing traffic misery to the Santa Clarita Valley.
Detours from the primary north-south freeway link between Southern and Northern California also occur during snowstorms, fog, flooding and road work, repeating the scenario ad nauseam with miles of snarled traffic both on the freeway and along the deteriorating side road.
Los Angeles County Public Works — after years of planning — is close to starting construction on a project to widen a 2-mile portion of The Old Road west of Santa Clarita. County officials say the widening plan will enable the road to handle emergency freeway detours and local traffic for the growing Santa Clarita Valley.
“That particular area has been in need of improvement for years,” said Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel, a community activist from Santa Clarita. “The Old Road is too small for the traffic it carries.”
It has taken awhile for the county to pull together the $250 million for the project. And after using grants, loans, bonds and funds from Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s transportation pot, the county is still $12 million short. It plans on filing a funding request via the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the county reported.
“It has taken six years to get to this point and there are still important milestones ahead – including obtaining an environmental clearance – but we’re getting closer,” said Barger in a statement on March 14.
The Old Road will be widened from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction between Henry Mayo Drive near the 126 Freeway and 5 Freeway interchange and Magic Mountain Parkway. In addition, the project calls for adding protected bikeways on both sides of the roadway.
Also, two bridges will be replaced, including the old, abandoned Union Pacific Railroad bridge, which will enable a multi-use trail to be extended underneath the new bridge from Santa Clarita, said Steve Burger, deputy director for transportation for county Public Works.
The Santa Clara River bridge will be replaced because it doesn’t meet federal earthquake standards. Also it is not high enough to accommodate flood waters from a 50-year storm, officials reported.
While Barger stated she wanted to see the community show support, only a handful participated at a hearing for the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on March 14. Those who did offer comments were in favor of the project and recognized the longstanding need for improvements, with some wanting even more of The Old Road to be widened.
“When there is a snow closure (on the 5 Freeway), The Old Road is horrific. Also when there is an accident on the freeway,” said Lloyd Carder, a resident of nearby Hasley Canyon and former Castaic Town Council president.
The Old Road pre-existed the 5 Freeway as the north-south route through the area. But it wasn’t designed to handle the explosive growth in the last several decades, nor the emergency detours from The Grapevine, Steve Burger said.
The Route Fire of 2022 cemented the need to realign and widen The Old Road so it can be a relief valve for the next emergency. With climate change, the mountain pass has experienced more intense storms with longer durations, followed by landslides from torrential rains. Also, brushfire incidents are increasing and becoming hotter, causing more freeway damage, he said.
“Modernizing the road helps add resiliency, so that we can better weather frequent impacts to the I-5 Freeway,” Burger said.
Not just for vehicles
New bike lanes separated from roadway vehicle traffic by affixed bollards that prevent cars from encroaching on the bicyclists are a critical aspect of the project, as more bicycle enthusiasts ride roads and trails in the region, say residents.
“That bridge is real narrow,” Carder said. “If you are riding a bicycle you are taking your life in your hands.”
Nina Moskol, chairperson of the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition, said the bike lanes are one reason her group supports the project.
Bike riders have to ride in the traffic lane because there is no shoulder, she said. “It is a difficult stretch to navigate by bike,” said Moskol in an interview on Tuesday, April 2. “A number of people in our coalition have crashed. I’ve seen people in wheelchairs trying to navigate that piece of road.”
“The Old Road is a frontage road for the 5 Freeway. It can be extremely dangerous for non-motorized users,” Moskol said during the EIR meeting.
She said people who take Metrolink or a bus to get to Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park can ride a bicycle for the last mile on the road or on the new trail under the road. She said the improvements to the road itself will help Santa Clarita Valley residents get to doctor’s appointments, workplaces, and retail shopping outlets.
“This is the only direct north-south route from the Newhall Pass to Castaic, aside from Interstate 5,” she added.
Impacts and timeline
Some residents who commented at the EIR meeting were concerned about the length of the construction period.
Project consultants predict the EIR will be approved by this summer, with permits granted by fall. Construction could start toward the end of this year and the project will take 4.5 years to complete.
According to the draft EIR, one full property and partial acquisitions from 13 properties would be needed to make room for widening. “No residential or commercial properties would be displaced,” the EIR stated. Also no residents would be relocated.
The project would require the removal of 15 oak trees and one Southern California black walnut tree. according to the EIR. Trees have to be replaced as per the rules of the Los Angeles County Oak Tree Ordinance.
“We will make sure we replace any trees,” Burger said.
The bridge over the Santa Clara River will not have a column in the riverbed but rather will fully span the river, in order to not disturb protected fish species, he said. He’s confident the EIR will be approved and construction can start later this year.
“This project is a huge step forward in making things right for the people of Santa Clarita,” Burger said. “So they can get to the adjacent communities and also, so first responders can get there.”