Ortega Highway Widening Dispute Settled

Local residents who commute over the Ortega Highway to Interstate 5 or the beach can expect construction delays in Orange County again now that a dispute over widening of the roadway has finally been settled.

Caltrans will install a four-way traffic signal at the Hunt Club, allowing residents there to enter and exit their community safely when Ortega Highway is widened to four lanes in that area, the city of San Juan Capistrano announced Tuesday.

The transportation agency made the concession in a settlement that concludes a "long saga" over the disputed widening of Ortega Highway through San Juan Capistrano's eastern boundaries.

Additionally, the Hunt Club's guardhouse will be relocated to prevent cars stopped at the guard gate from backing onto Ortega.

Caltrans' plans to widen a stretch of Ortega Highway from two to four lanes from Calle Entradero to the Orange County line were stalled when the city and the Hunt Club sued over concerns that traffic would bottle up at the 5 freeway connector.

A copy of the settlement was not immediately available, but city officials said Caltrans is also agreeing to use transparent material on the upper part of tall sound walls that will be built as part of the project on the south side of Ortega Highway, east of Via Cordova.

It will also replace the sidewalk and landscaping it rips out with similar features, only do construction work in the daytime, measure noise levels to lessen the impact on Hunt Club community and will use rubberized asphalt concrete.

The agreement will become effective once it's approved by the Orange County Superior Court and incorporated into a judgment.