New improvements at Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station will better serve passengers

Improvements to the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink station that provide better access and make for a more comfortable experience for passengers who use the station are now finished and open to the public.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, working with the cities of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo as well as the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, designed and constructed the new ramps, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, on each side of the station.

The ramps replace the station’s elevators and were added to the existing pedestrian undercrossing, making for more convenient, reliable access. The existing elevator shafts were redesigned to accommodate a public restroom and vending machines.

Three passenger canopies were also installed along the station’s west platform to provide shade and protection for rail passengers waiting for a train.

The station, which opened in 2002 and has an average of 340 weekday boardings, is a half-mile from Interstate 5; a convenient stop on the MV Shuttle route; and is near major employers and attractions such as the Shops at Mission Viejo, Saddleback College and Mission Hospital.
 
Construction on the improvements began in early 2016 and included demolishing portions of the pedestrian stairways on both sides of the station and replacing them with the ramps.
 
The $5.2 million project included 432 cubic yards of concrete, 1,180 linear feet of stainless steel handrails and 235 tons of recycled asphalt.