Traffic Relief For Southwest RivCo Drivers As New Freeway Lane Opens

TEMESCAL VALLEY, CA — A new lane on southbound Interstate 15 that may help lessen traffic congestion for Southwest Riverside County commuters who use the freeway to get home during rush hour is set to open Saturday morning.

The new non-tolled lane has been added to the righthand side of the freeway from the Cajalco Road onramp in Corona to the Weirick Road offramp in Temescal Valley as part of the $5 million I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project.

Construction on the project began May 23, exactly two months from the opening date.

"Finding ways to help improve traffic operations and enhance driver safety helps bring our communities together," said Riverside County Transportation Commission Vice Chair Robert Magee, who also serves as a Lake Elsinore City Council member. "The I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project continues RCTC’s efforts to identify and deliver transportation solutions that benefit our residents, our communities, and our economy."

The project involved adding the new lane next to the shoulder, strengthening the shoulder pavement to handle the extra weight of vehicles, and restriping the work area. With the new addition, that stretch of freeway is now four lanes wide.

Other work that was part of the project included more space for emergency vehicles along the inner shoulder, upgrades to existing guardrails and installation of new guardrails, and an improved drainage system.

The lane will open with temporary exit signs, but permanent overhead signs are scheduled to be installed Sunday and Monday nights. Watch for temporary lane closure announcements for that work by following @therctc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or by visiting rctc.org/15icop.

RCTC and project partners are also working on environmental studies for a long-term solution for the area called the I-15 Corridor Operations Project. If approved, construction on the $38 million project would take place from 2023 to late 2025, according to the RCTC.

The I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project is RCTC’s fourth opening in 2022, and a fifth is just around the corner, according to the county agency. In January, RCTC opened the 91 Corridor Operations Project in Corona; the I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange in Lake Elsinore opened in April; and the Route 60 Truck Lanes in the Riverside County Badlands, between Moreno Valley and Beaumont, opened in May.

A fifth project — the I-215 Placentia Avenue Interchange in Perris — is expected to open this fall.

The five projects represent a combined investment of more than $214 million. While state and federal dollars help fund RCTC projects, the agency also uses local funding. Measure A dollars (the half-cent sales tax hike approved by Riverside County voters), developer fees, fees from tolled lanes, and a portion of vehicle registration fees also help pay for local transportation projects.