ASCE Los Angeles Section

Cities of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo, California

Crown Valley Parkway is an east-west major arterial highway that extends from the foothills of Rancho Mission Viejo to the Pacific Ocean in south Orange County, a distance of approximately 10 miles. It connects to Interstate 5 (I-5) at the municipal city limits of the City of Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel at one of the busiest local service interchanges in Orange County. Initial improvement concepts identified in the Project Study Report approved by Caltrans in 1992 included four stages of improvements. The fourth and final stage of the project, which is the subject of this award nomination, completed the ultimate interchange improvements. Improvements to the interchange and Crown Valley Parkway included:
1. Widening of the Crown Valley Parkway overcrossing bridge;
2. Widening of the Crown Valley Parkway / Metrolink overhead bridge;
3. Widening of the Crown Valley Parkway / Oso Creek bridge;
4. Widening of the Crown Valley Parkway from Cabot Road to the northbound I-5 exit ramp to provide 4 through lanes in each direction of travel;
5. Extensive utility coordination activities including:
a. Moulton Niguel Water District
b. SDG&E
c. AT&T / PacBell
d. Southern California Gas
6. Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan to ensure that emergency response routes to and from Mission Hospital would not be compromised during construction.

The $15 million interchange improvement project was completed in 2013. RBF prepared construction documents including new mapping, preliminary roadway alignment plans, advance planning studies for bridge widenings and coordinated the environmental technical studies for the project.  A combined Project Study Report / Project Report (PSR/PR) and documented Categorical Exemption (CE) were also prepared for the project.

Over 20 years ago, in 1992, RBF Consulting prepared the PSR for improvements to the I-5/Crown Valley Parkway interchange that was originally constructed in 1969. That PSR provided the foundation for improvements to the interchange that were subsequently constructed in four stages and culminated in the final stage of construction which was completed in 2013. The project exemplifies the importance of comprehensive transportation planning with a vision for the future and thorough understanding of the existing and planned land uses that it serves, including regional commercial, Saddleback College, Mission Hospital, Laguna Niguel Metrolink and the Laguna Niguel Gateway. The interchange and Crown Valley Parkway accommodate daily traffic volumes that have grown from approximately 45,000 average daily trips (ADT) in 1992, to 65,000 ADT in 2007, and are projected to ultimately increase to over 80,000 ADT in the year 2030 in one of the busiest local freeway interchanges in Orange County. Locally initiated by the Cities of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo, and supported by OCTA and Caltrans through multiple funding sources, the I-5 / Crown Valley Parkway interchange is a model of planning, programming, design and construction of a regionally significant transportation project.

This complex, multi-agency effort required extensive coordination with the City of Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, OCTA, Caltrans District 12, SCRAA, Orange County Flood and Moulton Niguel Water District.  The project led to new relationships being forged and the strengthening of existing relationships with clients and the community.

See attached Commendation Letter from City of Laguna Niguel Director of Public Works, David Rogers.

Lead by the City of Laguna Niguel, and sponsored jointly with the City of Mission Viejo, the Interstate 5 at Crown Valley Parkway Interchange Improvement project widened Crown Valley Parkway from the intersection of Cabot Road in the City of Laguna Niguel to the northbound I-5 loop entrance ramp in the City of Mission Viejo.

Lead by the City of Laguna Niguel, and sponsored jointly with the City of Mission Viejo, the Interstate 5 at Crown Valley Parkway interchange improvement project widened Crown Valley Parkway from the intersection of Cabot Road in the City of Laguna Niguel to the northbound I-5 loop entrance ramp in the City of Mission Viejo.  The project included widening three bridges over Camino Capistrano, and the SCRRA railroad, Oso Creek Channel, and I-5 freeway. Extensive coordination was necessary with rail, water, sewer and electrical transmission facilities serving south Orange County. The improvement project addressed significant operational deficiencies at one of the busiest arterial interchange locations in Orange County. The improvements lengthen the existing right turn lane approach to the southbound I-5 on-ramp and add an additional lane through the northbound I-5 on-ramp intersection.  The four eastbound through lanes match the City of Mission Viejo’s segment of Crown Valley Parkway east of the I-5 freeway.  The improvements provide improved accessibility to the Gateway Specific Plan area, including the proposed transited-oriented development and Metrolink transit station.

RBF provided preparation of plans, specifications and estimates for major capacity and operational improvements.  The project marked the final stage of improvements, originally planned by RBF, and executed in four stages over a 20 year period.