SANTA ANA, CA — In another milestone for the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Laguna Niguel-San Juan Capistrano Passing Siding project, HNTB Corporation completed the final design and engineering phase, moving the project one step closer to construction with the board-approved notice to proceed.

The project adds 1.8 miles of new passing siding railroad track between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station and Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. The passing siding track will run adjacent to the existing track, allowing trains traveling in opposite directions to pass each other without stopping. When complete, it will reduce delays, increase safety and provide more reliable rail service on the Los Angeles-San Diego San Louis Obispo rail corridor, also known as LOSSAN.

The HNTB design and engineering team — led by Graham Christie, PE, HNTB Southern California Rail Leader and Associate Vice President — prepared the final design for the passing siding, roadway improvements and associated structures. Throughout the project, the firm developed solutions to reduce construction costs, avoid significant utility relocations and minimize impacts to railroad operations. Other improvements include relocating a spur track; improving the private crossing from Camino Capistrano to Saddleback Rancho Capistrano; and re-profiling approximately 600 feet of Camino Capistrano to improve roadway safety.

Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2019 and anticipated to take up to two years to complete.

“By working collaboratively with OCTA staff and key project stakeholders, including Metrolink, the HNTB team is delivering a cutting-edge rail solution for Southern California,” Christie said. “We’re proud of our work designing the improvements for this important infrastructure upgrade and are excited to see this project through construction.”