Aerial view of Florence Ave. interchange & I-5 lanes.
Started: February 2015
Completed: Spring 2021
Cost: $215.4 Million
Project Overview
The Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) Florence Avenue Interchange Project widened I-5 and added one High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV, or carpool lane) and one general purpose lane in each direction. The project extended through the cities of Downey and Santa Fe Springs to just north of the San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate 605) bridge.
The freeway improvements included widening structures at Florence Avenue and Orr and Day Road, shoulder widening, median barriers, new on-ramp and off-ramp designs, and reconfiguring the Florence Avenue interchange at the I-5.
The Florence Avenue overcrossing was widened from four lanes to six lanes. The new bridge is also approximately three feet higher and 321 feet longer. Finally, pedestrian access was improved and on and off-ramps were reconstructed and realigned to accommodate the I-5 freeway widening.
Project Benefits
- Adding car pool lanes
- Upgrading on and off ramps
- Enhancing interchange safety
- Revitalizing our I-5 community
Final Configuration Map:
Florence Final Configuration Map
On northbound I-5 there are now four all-purpose traffic lanes on I-5 from north of Valley View Ave. to the Florence Ave. Bridge. Then there are three all purpose lanes, plus two auxiliary lanes connecting to the northbound and southbound I-605. Under the I-605 Bridge, I-5 reverts to four all-purpose lanes, plus a fifth auxiliary lane connecting traffic from I-605 to I-5. Then it reduces again to four all-purpose lanes.
On southbound I-5 there are now five lanes where traffic merges from the I-605 interchange until the Orr & Day railroad overhead. Then it changes to four all-purpose lanes until south of Alondra Boulevard, where it reduces to three lanes approaching the Valley View Avenue interchange project that remains under construction until mid-2022.
When the Valley View Avenue Project is complete in mid-2022, we will open the additional car pool / HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes to traffic. At that time:
- On northbound I-5 there will be an HOV lane from Valley View Ave. to the Orr & Day railroad overhead.
- On southbound I-5 there will be an HOV lane from south of the Florence Ave. Bridge to Valley View Ave.