This contract included widening existing sections of I-5 and I-805 and constructing new freeway bypasses. The project limits were approximately 1 mile south on I-5 from the I-5/I-805 interchange, 2 miles north on I-5 from the I-5/I-805 interchange, and 1 mile south on I-805 from the I-5/I-805 interchange. I-5 and I-805 were widened by two lanes both north bound and south bound. The freeway bypasses are now two to four lanes wide both north bound and south bound. New on ramps and off ramps were constructed at Carmel Mountain Road for local access. This project was necessary to alleviate the traffic congestion in the area, especially in the morning and afternoon commuting periods. The freeway bypasses are intended to reduce the problems with truck traffic merging at the interchange of I-5/I-805, give some additional local access, and provide a better approach to SR-56. This project is one of several that have been planned to widen I-5 in the next several years. The scope of work on this contract included 12 bridges which included widening of some of the existing bridges. Another major element was the construction of a Plantable Geosynthetic Reinforced Wall (PGR Wall) which ran 3,900 meters long and 66 feet high in some areas.
