Project Overview

The Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) is one of the most heavily congested freeways in Southern California. The SR-55 is a vital link to other major freeway systems in Orange County, and it is the only freeway providing a direct north-south connection between Central Orange County and the coastal region. Currently, the SR-55 between Interstate 405 (I-405) and Interstate 5 (I-5) has four general purpose lanes, one carpool lane and some auxiliary lanes in each direction. The heavy congestion on SR-55 is expected to increase with future demand. This project is proposing to add new lanes to this stretch of the freeway to reduce congestion and increase capacity.

Purpose and Need
The purpose of the proposed project is to:

• Improve mobility and reduce congestion;
• Improve traffic operations; and
• Increase capacity.

The project is needed due to:

• Limited available lane capacity during peak periods;
• Inadequate merging distances as a result of closely spaced on- and off- ramps along the freeway mainline; and
• Non-standard lane and shoulder widths at some locations.

About the Project

The project is currently in the design phase. The project will add one general purpose lane, one carpool lane and auxiliary lanes in each direction of SR-55 between I-405 and I-5.

Funding

This OC Go project, formerly Measure M, is being constructed in cooperation with Caltrans and will be funded mostly through a combination of local, state and federal funds. The estimated project cost is $410.9 million.

Anticipated Schedule

Community Outreach

The SR-55 Project Outreach Team is available to make a presentation to your neighborhood, organization or business. Please contact us with requests, questions or comments at SR55info@octa.net or 800-724-0353. Or, sign up for our project email alerts by selecting the Stay Informed tab at the top of this page.

Resources