Reams Road final design phase underway

Orange County's final design phase for the Reams Road widening project now is underway.

According to an email from District 1 Commissioner Betsy VanderLey Tuesday, May 5, the county has initiated the final design phase of the project, which widens 2.8 miles of Reams Road from south of Summerlake Park Boulevard to Taborfield Avenue.

"This phase of the project includes the roadway engineering and preparation of final construction plans and documents," VanderLey's email states. "The project will be designed in general accordance with the Reams Road Roadway Conceptual Analysis completed in 2018."

According to plans, the proposed design includes two 11-foot-wide travel lanes in each direction separated by a raised median. There will be a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side of the roadway, with a 14-foot-wide multi-use trail planned along the north side.

Also included in the project are plans to incorporate drainage improvements, lighting, landscaping and a wildlife crossing. Right-of-way acquisition will be needed for the roadway and stormwater improvements.

Construction plans are scheduled to be completed in early 2022. The current timeline states that right-of-way acquisition should begin in the last quarter of 2021, and construction would start in fall 2024 and end in fall 2026.

For more information on the project, click here.