Lost Hills bridge improvement appears on track





POTENTIAL FOR DANGER—Calabasas resident Isaac Goren watches cars driving through a crosswalk at the Lost Hills freeway interchange even though a pedestrian right-of-way signal is on. Change is coming.

POTENTIAL FOR DANGER—Calabasas resident Isaac Goren watches cars driving through a crosswalk at the Lost Hills freeway interchange even though a pedestrian right-of-way signal is on. Change is coming.

The Pasadena-based Parsons Corporation has been selected to manage the construction of the new Lost Hills freeway interchange. Calabasas officials recently awarded the company a $2.75-million contract.

The Lost Hills interchange is a main access point for drivers traveling to western Calabasas and Malibu. The bridge carries almost 30,000 vehicles each day and is considered too small for the high demand.

Design of the project is expected to be completed in late spring. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of summer 2014 and will be completed in phases to minimize the interruption of traffic. The work will last about 18 months.

The project will bring an 80-foot-wide bridge, a curving on-ramp in the northeast quadrant of the interchange, and a sound wall and earthen berms to reduce traffic noise for residents of Saratoga, a community immediately north of the freeway and west of Lost Hills Road.

According to a report, the existing structure leads to frequent traffic bottlenecks. Cars waiting to turn left onto the northbound 101 cause traffic backups on Lost Hills Road.

The improvements will widen the bridge from two to five lanes, and cars traveling north on Lost Hills will be able to turn right onto a loop on-ramp for the northbound 101, similar to Parkway Calabasas.

Officials say the loop confi guration will improve the flow of traffic and reduce backups during peak hours.

The wider bridge will have bike lanes and meet seismic standards. The sidewalk will be redesigned to improve safety.

Two-thirds of the cost of the $25-million project will be covered by the county’s Measure R transportation funds. The city has a $3-million fund allocated to the project and is working with the federal government to secure the remainder of the money.

City officials liked the Parsons Corporation credentials.

“ Parsons is a very wellknown company that is well-experienced,” Mayor Fred Gaines said at a recent City Council meeting. “There is no doubt in my mind as to their qualifications.”

Residents can expect minimal disruptions during construction and a quality project once the work is completed, he said.

“The city spends a lot of extra time on minimizing impacts and minimizing inconvenience for residents. That’s what’s expected of you,” Gaines told a Parsons representative who attended the meeting.

“ We really have to make sure that everyone is aware (of when) this is happening,” Councilmember Lucy Martin said.

Saratoga, the community that will be most affected by this project, is “an engaged community that requires and demands a regular update,” Councilmember Mary Sue Maurer said.


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