Photo: City of Diamond Bar
The third and final ramp construction of the Pomona Freeway (SR-60) from Lemon Avenue is due to open sometime in June. The multimillion-dollar freeway interchange project that has been many years in the making.

Anthony Saude

Diamond Bar – The third and final ramp construction of the Pomona Freeway (SR-60) from Lemon Avenue is due to open sometime in July. This will bring the project to a close the key multimillion-dollar freeway interchange project that has been many years in the making.

The planning and design of the major three-legged Lemon Avenue Interchange project began more than 15 years ago with meetings and discussions. The groundbreaking ceremony was way back in September 2016, however the project’s history extends back more than 50 years. In March 1968, plans for the construction of an interchange at Lemon Avenue were included in a Freeway Agreement between the County of Los Angeles and the State. Those plans never came to fruition because in the end there was just a lack of funding.

The Cities of Diamond Bar and Industry in cooperation with Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration should all be applauded for the gargantuan efforts made to move the project forward. Last month the westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp from Lemon Avenue to SR-60 was opened to the public. It is anticipated that the eastbound on-ramp and an auxiliary lane to SB SR-57 will open sometime in June. Part of the project plans called for the existing freeway ramps near Brea Canyon Road and Golden Springs Drive to be permanently closed.

The opening of the new interchange at Lemon Avenue and elimination of the eastbound on- and off-ramps at Brea Canyon Road and Golden Springs Drive will help address congestion and safety issues both on the freeway and on nearby surface streets. It will provide a more direct freeway access for delivery trucks heading into and leaving local industrial areas. It will also make it easier and safer for drivers traveling east on the SR-60 to merge onto the southbound SR-57.

For additional information and construction updates on this project, visit www.theaceproject.org or call 888.223.1426.