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Motorists and cyclists in Anaheim, Orange, Placentia and Fullerton can expect to confront additional traffic, bike route detours and lane closures along State Route 91 for the next few years.
Local and state transportation agencies this month broke ground on a multi-segment construction project slated to last until 2030.
The project focusing on 5.6 miles between State Route 57 and State Route 55 is intended to reduce ‘weaving’ between the freeway’s interchanges and ramps.
The construction is estimated to cost $779 million, funded in part by revenue from the 91 Express Lanes.
321,000 motorists use the stretch of freeway daily, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority.
The area will undergo a myriad of changes over the next five years – including widening by lanes in some segments.
The 91 freeway construction is among other projects widening local freeways and roadways – types of road projects that while offering some short term relief, studies show are unlikely to alleviate traffic congestion long-term.
[Read: Will Construction Jams on the 55 Freeway Payoff for Commuters?]
Other improvements include the addition of bike lanes and operational changes, such as the addition of bypass ramps and auxiliary lanes.
The project is split into three segments with separate schedules.
Segment one will add a traffic signal at the Lakeview Ave. ramp connecting directly to lanes for southbound SR-55, and is estimated to be under construction until late 2028.
Construction widening the La Palma Ave. bridge to include more lanes, sidewalks and Class II bike lanes will begin late this year, and is expected to last until mid-2029.
Construction on the second segment – which will widen the eastbound side of the freeway by a standard lane – will begin early next year and last until 2030.
Work on the segment also includes widening of the Glassell St./Kraemer Blvd. and Tustin Ave. bridges to include more lanes, sidewalks and Class II bike lanes.
An environmental study for the project states that closure of the Santa Ana River Trail is required temporarily during construction, although OCTA did not confirm if or when that the regional bikeway would be closed.
It is still too early in the project for any scheduled closures, according to Eric Carpenter, a communications specialist with OCTA. He noted that the agency will work with OC Parks and the City of Anaheim on a detour.
Active transportation advocates note that existing infrastructure across North OC discourages walking and biking due to the lack of separation from cars on high-speed limit streets.
“Fullerton is definitely better than some cities, but there’s still a lot to be desired about our bike and walk infrastructure,” said . “We don’t have a lot of well thought out aspects to our bike infrastructure, and things don’t always connect in a coherent way to help you get from point A to point B.”
Across the county, there is a lack of connectivity between bike paths.
[Read:Tackling Bike Path Gaps in OC]
Freeways can create boundaries for cyclists that can make mobility a safety concern, such as crossing on- and off-ramps.
“Freeways are usually things that divide communities,” said David Martinez, member of Strong Towns OC.
“Getting past the ramps is always difficult and it’s always dangerous, so the goal of a government should be to keep its people safe, and if you’re constructing infrastructure that does not do that, then you’re failing at your job.”
Erika Taylor is a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow and photojournalist. You can find her on Instagram @camerakeepsrolling or email at etaylor@voiceofoc.org
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