Date Set For Alton Parkway Opening

 is meant to reduce traffic congestion, but it's safe to say that the roadway could get a bit clogged June 20.

That's the date that the new thoroughfare will finally open, sometime after a 10 a.m. joint grand-opening ceremony with representatives from Lake Forest and the county.

The two agencies shared the responsibility for the construction. The county is wrapping up the west portion, from Irvine Boulevard to Commercentre Drive. Lake Forest completed the east segment, Commercentre to Towne Centre Drive, earlier this year.

The public is invited to the June 20 opening ceremony at the nexus of Commercentre and Alton, which should last about an hour and a half.

Lake Forest and Orange County Supervisors Pat Bates and Bill Campbell are scheduled to speak at the ceremony.

Once the detrius from the grand opening is cleared away and the contractor finishes pulling the barricades, programing the traffic lights and doing a final sweep of the road, residents will be able to zoom down the four-lane highway for the first time, according to Lake Forest staffers.

The road was constructed in conjunction with a development plan for , a recently-approved housing project of nearly 2,300 units. The company and city partnered to get the land for the extension.