Construction Advisory starting March 19, 2025*
Temporary lane closures will occur Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm at:
- Northbound Rice Avenue between Wooley Road and Sturgis Road
- Eastbound Fifth Street/SR-34 between Rose Avenue and S. Del Norte Blvd
- Westbound Fifth Street/SR-34 between S. Del Norte Blvd and Rice Avenue
Two way-traffic will be available at all times. Please use alternate routes when possible to avoid delays. Residents and businesses in the area are asked to consult the door hanger/flyer left at your door.
Construction Advisory Notice PDF | PDF del Aviso de Construcción
*Dates and times are subject to change
Project Overview
The City, in cooperation with Caltrans and the County of Ventura, has begun construction on a new six-lane bridge on Rice Avenue to grade-separate the Fifth Street/State Route 34 intersection and Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The CPUC Rail Division ranked the crossing 4th in the State in need of safety improvements. The project will include a bridge, connector road, two traffic signals, traffic signal improvements at Sturgis Road, Class II on-street bike lanes, sidewalks, and accessibility improvements.
Project Timeline
In order to begin the construction phase, the City complied with federal, state, and railroad regulations, some of which included: grant requirements for 6 funding programs; environmental policies; Caltrans design oversight; right-of-way acquisition requirements; utility coordination; and agreements with Union Pacific Railroad among others. The environmental phase (2014-2018) resulted in a Caltrans “Finding of No Significant Impact” through an Environmental Assessment/Environmental Impact Report (EA/EIR); during design (2018-2024) the engineers encountered 75 utility facilities owned by over 10 providers, requiring the City execute multiple utility agreements; and during the right of way phase (2020-2024) Caltrans worked to acquire 17 land parcels, including temporary construction easements. These accomplishments allowed the City to begin construction in March 2025.
Project Map
Resource Materials
Press Release (English)
Read about this important project and planned improvements
735.83 KB PDF | Updated 03/18/25
Press Release (Español)
Lea sobre este importante proyecto y las próximas mejoras.
755.25 KB PDF | Updated 03/18/25
Stay Informed!
During construction, community members can expect temporary road closures and intermittent lane closures which may cause delays. In order to stay informed about construction activities and traffic impacts, residents and businesses may sign up to receive project updates via email or text message.
Email [email protected] to request to be added to the email list! You’ll receive general project updates and construction alerts.
Text RICEFIFTH to (888) 302-6417 to sign up to receive major construction and traffic alerts
Message frequency will vary. Message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to cancel.
Construction Team
City of Oxnard Project Manager: Debbie O’Leary
Contractor: Security Paving Company, Inc.
Construction Manager: MNS Engineers, Inc.
Design support: HDR, Inc.