I-15 Express Lanes Project Moves Forward, Construction Company Chosen

CORONA, CA - The Riverside County Transportation Commission Wednesday approved a $263 million contact with two firms to construct express lanes on Interstate 15 between Eastvale and El Cerrito, providing expedited travel options for commuters in the next few years. The contract with Skanska U.S.A. and Ames Construction Inc., which have formed a joint venture, was hailed by RCTC officials as a major leap forward for the I-15 Express Lanes Project.

The undertaking will involve adding two toll express lanes on both sides of I-15, from the Pomona (60) Freeway on the northwest edge of Riverside County to Cajalco Road in the El Cerrito community, just south of Corona, stretching roughly 15 miles. Construction is expected to start next year and the project is expected to wrap in 2020.

County transportation officials say some of the main goals of the project are to:

• Improve existing and future mobility along the I-15 corridor
• Reduce congestion and improve traffic operations
• Provide a time-saving travel choice with multiple entry / exit points
• Expand the tolled express lane network
• Increase travel time reliability

The anticipated cost of the freeway reconfiguration is $455 million, according to RCTC.

Unlike the recently completed, $1.4 billion 91 Project in Corona, which took about three years to complete and also entailed expanding the freeway to add express lanes, the I-15 Express Lanes Project will not necessitate regular lane closures and periodic freeway shutdowns for construction, officials said.

"The (project) will not require extensive land acquisition, and the majority of construction work will take place in the undeveloped part of the freeway median, minimizing work-related impacts on local residents and businesses," according to an RCTC statement. "The new express lanes facility travels through the cities of Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Norco and Corona, as well as nearby unincorporated communities in Riverside County."

RCTC spokesman John Standiford told City News Service that the commission is still in the process of securing funding for the project.

Measure A revenue, derived from a half-cent sales tax on countywide gasoline purchases, will cover part of the project budget. However, officials are also seeking infrastructure improvement grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and there are plans afoot to sell taxpayer-backed bonds to help pay for it, as well, Standiford said.

Revenue generated from the $52 billion in gasoline tax hikes that Gov. Jerry Brown is slated to sign into law under Senate Bill 1 will not directly fund the I-15 Express Lanes Project, officials said. However, several related projects within the newly designated "Riverside County Transportation Efficiency Corridor" will be covered by the higher gas taxes, according to the RCTC.

– City News Service contributed to this report / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone