La Paz Road - Lane Closure

On Friday, May 5, 2023, the City of Laguna Niguel proclaimed the existence of a local emergency in response to additional earth movement under La Paz Road. While there is no immediate danger to the public, the City is taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the public. 

Upon the declaration of an emergency on May 5, 2023, City staff retained a consultant to immediately prepare the traffic plan to reroute the traffic between Rancho Niguel Road and Kings Road. Further procurement is underway to make the physical changes to the roadway. These changes to the traffic flow will happen as soon as possible. 

The emergency proclamation provides the City with the ability to mobilize local resources, accelerate procurement of supplies, and seek future reimbursement by the State and Federal government. 

As an additional safety measure, the two southbound lanes on La Paz Road, between Rancho Niguel Road and Kings Road, will be closed indefinitely. The City plans to reduce the northbound lanes on La Paz Road to one lane to permit traffic flow in both directions.  

Please CLICK HERE to read the most recent staff report related to La Paz Road. 

Please CLICK HERE to read the Press Release – Laguna Niguel Proclaims Existence of Local Emergency in Response to Recent Earth Movement Under La Paz Road.

The City is actively coordinating with various agencies to develop a long-term repair plan for the affected area. The City aims to implement a permanent solution that addresses the critical infrastructure and ensures the safety of the public. 

Current Closure: 

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On Wednesday, May 17, the City implemented a new traffic control pattern on La Paz Rd that closes off the two southbound travel lanes at Rancho Niguel Rd. 
 
The traffic traveling southbound along La Paz Rd is directed into the left turn lane to proceed eastbound along Rancho Niguel Rd to Moulton Pkwy as the detour.  During this time, the northbound lane along La Paz Rd remain open and unchanged. 
 
This closure is a precautionary measure to ensure public safety. It allows roadway modifications to be expedited as the City prepares to install a traffic switch allowing two-way traffic on the east side of the La Paz median. 

Current Status: 

Along with interagency coordination efforts, the City is in the process of applying for a FEMA grant to design and construct a permanent solution to La Paz Road that will allow the road to be fully reopened safely. The grant application will take approximately one year to complete. The City is hopeful to hear from FEMA sometime in spring or early summer of 2024, and that the City will be granted the funds needed to restore the road. All told, the process for total repair of La Paz Rd is anticipated to take a minimum of three years and up to five years to fully fund and complete.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but your safety is our priority. This page will be actively updated to share the current status of lane closure. For any questions, please contact the Public Works Department at (949) 362-4337.

Click image to enlarge.

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