As one of the busiest freeways on the West Coast, Interstate 5 is a key component in goods movement and a major source of commuter traffic. I am keenly aware of the issues and burdens Castaic residents are experiencing, further exacerbated by last week’s Route Fire, which significantly damaged an embankment and retaining structure along the I-5 freeway.

My staff is working hard alongside Caltrans and CHP to offer any county support possible and are in contact with State Sen. Scott Wilk and Assemblymember Suzette Valladares asking for their engagement and leadership as our state representatives overseeing these state emergencies.

I will continue working on residents’ behalf to achieve two goals. First, advocating for Caltrans to complete road repair work as thoroughly and quickly as possible. Second, to keep Castaic residents in the loop and informed of the status of the work.

That’s why I sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom asking that he urgently allocate any and all needed resources to Caltrans and CHP so that they can complete critical repairs. I also directed Public Works to establish local access only for roadways in Castaic to keep residents mobile while closures are in place.

I introduced a motion that will be voted on at our Sept. 13 Board of Supervisors meeting that directs Public Works to immediately expedite all plans in development, including the construction of new traffic signals at critical intersections. This will help alleviate the burden of traffic congestion on The Old Road during both I-5 events and during the repair work Caltrans is conducting. The motion also directs the county’s Office of Emergency Management to better coordinate traffic flows in the event of emergencies affecting the I-5.

My constituents deserve my advocacy. If you’d like to read my full open letter to Castaic residents, you can find that here. If you want to see my letter to Governor Newsom, read it here. For details about my motion, you can click here. To call into our Board of Supervisors meeting, learn more here.

Kathryn Barger represents the Fifth District which includes the Santa Clarita Valley.