OCTA Talks to Residents about Soundwalls

Orange County Transportation Authority representatives will go door-to-door beginning next week in San Clemente neighborhoods and host meetings to let people know about plans to widen the 5 Freeway.

The representatives will visit nearly 300 homes in areas where soundwalls will be built along the I-5 north of Avenida Pico, according to a release from the OCTA. Four of the five project soundwalls will be constructed with the exact dimensions of the existing walls, only farther away from the freeway centerline to accommodate the widening.

The new soundwall is planned between the freeway and the Shorecliffs Golf Course driving range.

The project will add a carpool lane from San Juan Creek Road to Avenida Pico and rebuild the Pico interchange. Scheduled for construction in late 2013, the $275 million project is being funded by Measure M, the half-cent sales tax approved by Orange County voters, the OCTA release states.

OCTA representatives will visit homes in Shorecliffs, the Coast, Chateau San Clemente, Seascape Village and Campana-Canasta.

The door-to-door effort, during which OCTA representatives will hand out fliers about the project, begins Saturday and continues Wednesday, according to the release.

Saturday Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, the OCTA will

Coffees in the neighborhoods – where residents can gather informally for more information or to get answers to any questions – will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 18.