Our September RHA Board meeting included an update on the I-405 Project progress and its impacts on the areas nearest to Rossmoor. The project adds HOV (toll) and open travel lanes to the I-405 between the I-605 and SR 73.
The meeting attracted about 30 members of the community. Tim Whitacre, district representative for Supervisor Michelle Steel, also attended and helped facilitate getting technical representatives from the transportation agencies to attend.
RHA President Ralph Vartabedian introduced OCTA Section Manager, Capital Projects Outreach, Chris Boucly who presented the project overview and discussed upcoming freeway and bridge closures. The presentation handouts and maps can be downloaded here
When the floor was opened for questions, both the Board and community members expressed strong concerns that the existing air emissions and noise throughout the south end of Rossmoor is damaging their quality of life and this project will bring the travel lanes approximately 20 feet closer to the sound wall.
Andrew Chuah, senior transportation engineer for CalTrans and Dennis Mak, OCTA engineer and part of the project implementation team responded to the resident questions and explained the process used for the Environmental Impact reports. The OCTA and Caltrans officials were pressed to agree to conduct new air and noise readings but declined to commit at the meeting to such new measurements.
The officials did agree to work with the project vendors to clean up the roadways and shoulders on the 605 between the 405 interchange and at least Katella as this area is within the project boundaries due to the signage changed that will be required by the project.
The RHA continues to follow up with Supervisor Steel’s office to press county and state officials to take current and accurate measurements of the noise and pollution levels in the south end of Rossmoor and at Hopkinson School.
