Project Overview

Northbound SR-57 from Orangewood Avenue to Katella Avenue is a vital segment of the freeway, providing more than 120,000 daily motorists access to major employment, commercial, academic and entertainment destinations. This corridor is already heavily congested and traffic volume is expected to grow nearly 15% by 2045. 

The project is the third in a series designed to improve the northbound 57 Freeway. The PA/ED process, commonly referred to as the environmental review process, began in mid-2016 and was completed in early 2019. As part of this effort, OCTA and Caltrans conducted preliminary engineering and an environmental study to assess the potential operational outcomes and potential environmental effects of extending the 5th regular (general-purpose) lane, as well as making ramp improvements between Orangewood Avenue and Katella Avenue, a 1-mile stretch adjacent to the cities of Anaheim and Orange.

Project Details

Northbound Improvements

• Add one general purpose lane from Orangewood Avenue to Katella Avenue

• Extend the existing auxiliary lane from the Orangewood off-ramp to the Katella off-ramp

• Improve the northbound Katella Avenue off-ramp by providing two exit lanes

• Widen the inside shoulder to improve sight distance

• Extend the merge length between the existing freeway on- and off-ramps to improve weaving distance

Project Funding

The total estimated project cost is $71.8 million. The estimated cost of construction is $45.3 million. The project is funded with a combination of federal Highway Infrastructure Program, Local Partnership Program formula, and local M2 funds.