Imperial Highway "Grade Separation"

This Caltrans project to build a bridge over Orangethorpe and the railroad tracks has been in the works since the late 1990’s. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has also been involved in the project because it is part of the countywide “Smart Street” program.

Anyone who drives through this intersection regularly is aware of the congestion created by the trains traveling along this particular track. Studies show that more than 70 trains a day travel this route, with that number expected to increase into the future.

The bridge will be similar in design to the ones already in place on Fairmont Boulevard and Yorba Linda Boulevard. As the rendering to the left shows, access between Imperial and Orangethorpe/Esperanza will be provided via ramps.

Caltrans’ contractors began working in mid-February 2007. Among the first things to be done is the construction of temporary roadways to carry traffic around the construction site.

This is a major project, one that is expected to take 3 years to complete. While Caltrans will do what it can to ensure traffic continues to move smoothly through the area, taking alternate routes whenever possible is a good idea.A