During its 33rd Annual Awards Gala, the Construction Management Association of America awarded RCTC’s 71/91 Interchange and I-15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project each with the organization’s prestigious Project Achievement Award. This distinction celebrates the very best in the field – projects that set the standard for excellence and serve as inspiration for the entire industry.

Whether it’s delivering a new connector on the 71/91 interchange, or implementing solutions on the I-15, the Commission continues to lead the way in delivering transportation improvements in our region.

The 71/91 Interchange in Corona replaced an outdated single-lane loop connector with a new, two-lane direct connector. The non-tolled connector is designed to improve safety, expand access, and enhance traffic flow. In southwest Riverside County, the recently completed I-15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project – the first-of-its-kind project in California – incorporated “smart” technology on nearly eight miles of road to optimize traffic flow along the heavily traveled northbound I-15.

Projects like these advance the Commission’s mission to deliver mobility solutions for the people of Riverside County.

IE Commuter, the popular commuter program led by RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), was recently honored with the prestigious Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Industry Impact Award during the 39th Annual Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) International Conference. This national award recognizes outstanding programs that measurably improve mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance air quality.

The program was recognized for its leadership in shifting solo drivers towards shared commute modes through a coordinated blend of employer partnerships, incentive programs, education, and ridematching technology.

“Using carpools, vanpools, and public transportation significantly eases regional transportation congestion,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County Board of Supervisor Karen Spiegel. “I am proud of the national recognition our IE Commuter program has in collaboration with our valued partners at SBCTA. Together, we are demonstrating our commitment to improving mobility for Inland Empire residents.”

The Inland Empire is home to more than 4.6 million residents who face some of the longest commutes in the country. The program facilitates carpooling, vanpooling, and the use of public transit as alternatives to driving alone. These initiatives enable residents to reduce commuting costs and travel time, while enhancing the overall quality of their daily commutes.

IE Commuter, RCTC, and SBCTA continue to pave the way for improved travel, cleaner air, and healthier communities. To learn more about the program and to start your smarter commute, please visit: iecommuter.org

RCTC takes pride in being a responsible steward of public funds, fulfilling this financial duty with the utmost diligence. We are thrilled to announce that our commitment to excellence in financial reporting has once again been recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). RCTC was awarded the GFOA’s prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

This award recognizes the tremendous dedication and hard work invested by RCTC’s finance department, reflecting their unwavering commitment to transparency and precision in all aspects of financial management. RCTC upholds strict financial controls to ensure accountability and uphold public trust. We are committed to the responsible stewardship of public funds.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest honor in government accounting and financial reporting. RCTC is honored to be the recipient of this prestigious award.

This year’s award season has made its way to Riverside County. Every year, Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) drivers gather for the annual FSP Driver Awards – where five outstanding drivers are recognized for their efforts and the exceptional service they provided to stranded motorists over the past year. By providing free emergency assistance such as jump-starts, fuel, flat tire assistance, and towing to CHP-approved locations, FSP drivers help reduce traffic delays and secondary accidents.

Since the program began operation in 1993, FSP drivers have assisted more than a million motorists on Riverside County’s busiest highways. FSP tow trucks patrol the entirety of Riverside County’s SR-91, I-15 from SR-60 south to SR- 79/Temecula Parkway, SR- 60 from Milliken Avenue to Theodore Street, and the entirety of Riverside County’s I-215 during peak commute times. FSP also provides support for the SR-91 and I-15 Express Lanes and during special construction activity.

This year’s award winners demonstrated exemplary service that has become a hallmark of the FSP program and its drivers. Without further ado, this year’s winners are:

After receiving assistance, motorists are asked to complete a satisfaction survey, and the glowing remarks speak for themselves. “My saving grace, I was panicking really bad and their helpfulness made the stressful situation better. This was a blessing thank you,” says Maria C. After receiving assistance for a flat tire, Bryan K. had this to say, “We were pleasantly surprised to have help find us within minutes of a tire blowout. He had us safely on our way faster than we could have imagined. Thank you so much. Faith in humanity restored!”

The Riverside County FSP program is funded by Caltrans and RCTC, providing the roadside assistance to motorists free of charge, and is consistently ranked as one of the highest benefit-cost FSP programs across California – providing substantial service to cost efficiency. The program operates Monday through Friday (except on some holidays) from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for the morning commute and from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the afternoon commute. Friday afternoon service operates from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. FSP also operates mid-day service and weekend service on select beats.

To learn more about the FSP program, please visit: www.rctc.org/fsp

At its June 12 meeting, the Commission awarded $9.9 million in Measure A funding for 20 projects to 15 non-profit and public agencies that provide specialized transit services across Riverside County for Fiscal Years 2024 through 2027.

For Riverside County’s most vulnerable residents – seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals – accessing transportation options to medical appointments, social services, and everyday activities can be challenging. RCTC’s Specialized Transit Program makes a significant difference in filling in the gaps not met by other forms of transportation. Specialized Transit Programs support operating and capital projects such as senior transportation shuttles, non-emergency medical transportation services, bus pass/voucher programs, mileage reimbursement programs, travel training, vehicle and maintenance equipment, and communications and dispatch equipment.

At its meeting, Commissioners heard first-hand how valuable this funding is for organizations providing the services and those who use it. “We are thrilled and very grateful to have been recommended for RCTC funding through the Measure A program,” said Jessica Muñoz, President and CEO of Voices for Children – one of the 15 grant recipients. The non-profit recruits, trains, and supports Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers who speak up for the needs and well-being of children in foster care.

Muñoz added, “the funding is important to us for many reasons. One of the ways that our volunteer advocates support youth in care is by providing transportation for them when they need to attend court hearings, meetings in the community, school events, and sometimes even enrichment activities that they have no other way to participate in.”

RCTC has heard from additional organizations about the value of funding for these services.

The 15 Measure A Specialized Transit Program grant recipients include:

• Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley
• Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County
• Care-A-Van Transit Inc
• City of Norco Parks – Recreation and Community Services Department
• Forest Folk, Inc.
• Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center, Inc,
• Operation Safehouse
• Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH)
• Riverside University Health System – Medical Center (RUHS-MC)
• EXCEED
• Angel View
• Independent Living Partnership
• Voices for Children
• Blindness Support Service
• Michelle’s Place

With these latest grants, RCTC continues to uphold its commitment of providing funding to non-profit providers of transit services for vulnerable Riverside County residents.

Extending the I-15 Express Lanes south beyond Cajalco Road in Corona is part of RCTC’s 10-Year Western Riverside County Delivery Plan to deliver traffic relief to the growing communities along the I-15 corridor. With the approval of the Project and Construction Management (PCM) contract to Parsons, the Commission is getting ready to line up contractors and agency agreements to begin construction on the 15 Express Lanes Project Southern Extension (ELPSE) by 2026. 

The 15 ELPSE will construct two express lanes in each direction from Cajalco Road to State Route 74 (Central Ave.) in Lake Elsinore. This 14.5-mile extension of the Riverside County express lanes system is designed to bring much-needed mobility options to the area. Over the past 20 years, the community of Temescal Valley and the cities of Lake Elsinore and Corona have grown tremendously, bringing with it new housing, residents, and increased travel throughout the region.

Once complete, the new express lanes will give motorists an option for a reliable commute between Lake Elsinore, the 60, and Orange County. With additional lanes, congestion relief of the general-purpose lanes is possible, improving traffic operations. The 15 ELPSE will also help improve transit and rideshare options by providing free-flowing lanes to buses and commuters that carpool or vanpool. This cost-effective commute opens possibilities for new routes and employers to incentivize employees to avoid solo car trips. 

The Commission will use an innovative progressive design-build project delivery method to speed up construction. Unlike traditional construction-bid delivery methods, the progressive design-build method will allow RCTC to engage with the design-build contractor earlier, enabling solutions that save funding and help maintain the construction schedule. This progressive design-build approach is vital as the Commission continues to assemble funding for this project. With this process, RCTC will have the option to build and deliver the project in phases. This innovative project method is made possible by the passage of recently approved Senate Bill 617. 

The project is a partnership between RCTC and Caltrans and will be funded with a combination of federal and local sources. Sign up to receive project updates at rctc.org/15expsouth. 

The Coachella Valley Rail Project (CV Rail) continues moving forward. Over the past year, the CV Rail project has made progress in getting funding for the next phase and coordinating closely with city and agency partners. Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) made a big announcement to help keep project momentum going. The FRA added the CV Rail Project to the federal Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID) and awarded the project $500,000.

Why is this important? By being included in the Corridor ID program, the CV Rail project is now considered vital to developing intercity passenger rail across the Country. That’s a big deal. The designation will allow RCTC, Caltrans, and other project partners to better compete for engineering and construction grants as projects continue to move forward.

“I am pleased to see the Federal Rail Administration recognize the value CV Rail will bring to Riverside County. By including CV Rail in the Corridor ID program, the federal government has signaled that the project is viable and warrants attention,” said RCTC Chair and Lake Elsinore City Council Member Robert “Bob” Magee. “This designation will help CV Rail compete for more federal grants that will help get this service up and running for our residents,” he said.

In addition to being added to the Corridor ID program, the FRA will provide $500,000 to allow our project partners to create a Service Development Plan that will outline the future needs of passenger rail. The first round of route selections is intended to identify existing and potential new routes to create an intercity passenger rail system across the Country.

Daily intercity passenger rail to and from the Coachella Valley has long been a local and statewide priority. The new service will offer mobility choices, reduce traffic congestion, and expand economic opportunities by connecting the growing Riverside County desert communities to various resorts, commercial, retail, and quality jobs.

Learn more about the Coachella Valley Rail project at www.rctc.org/cvr

The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) is proud to be a steward of public funds and takes its job seriously. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded RCTC the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

RCTC has been recognized with this honor for 30 consecutive years, and this prestigious award is a testament to our finance department’s dedication to transparency and precision in financial management.

GFOA’s recognition highlights the Commission’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, and accountability in financial reporting as we continue to uphold stringent financial control and transparency measures to ensure responsible management of public funds.

RCTC honored the best and the brightest among its Freeway Service Patrol drivers at the annual Drivers’ Awards meeting this month. The awards recognized outstanding drivers and showed heartfelt appreciation to all tow truck drivers who provided exceptional service last year to motorists on our busiest highways in Riverside County.

The Freeway Service Patrol – or FSP – is a partnership between RCTC, the California Highway Patrol, and Caltrans to help stranded motorists with speedy roadside assistance. These rapid assists help keep motorists safe and traffic flowing in western Riverside County.

Got a flat tire, a dead battery, overheated engine, or bone-dry gas tank? FSP drivers swoop in to make these repairs and more at no charge. If they can’t get you back on the road, they will tow your vehicle to a designated CHP location.

So which FSP drivers earned these distinguished honors? The envelopes please!

“The most rewarding part of this job is assisting people,” said Camberos, who snagged the Top Driver award. “Many times they have children in the car and they’re panicking because they don’t know what to do. Getting them off the freeway or getting them on their way is the most rewarding part,” he said.

FSP drivers make a big difference in the lives of western Riverside County motorists. In 2022 alone, the program helped 63,550 county motorists stalled on local highways. The program was founded in 1993 and soon will mark 30 years of service in our county.

Motorist Irene C. had high praise for Atilano, who earned the People’s Choice Award. “He was heaven sent. From the minute he first made contact with me, he made sure that we were all safe. The company is lucky to have him,” she said.

Rookie of the Year honoree Huerta also received kudos. Veronica H. said, “It could potentially be a life saver. We were three older women stranded in a very dangerous part of the 215 South with lots of traffic and trucks. My car suddenly ran extremely hot, and we had to pull over and we had no water. We thank God for this angel.”

Across the state, the Riverside County FSP program is ranked as providing one of the highest benefit/cost FSP programs, meaning that it provides a lot of bang for the buck. The program is funded by Caltrans and RCTC and operates on the 91, on I-15 between the 60 and the 79, on the 60 from I-15 to Theodore Street, and on the full length of I-215.

FSP operates Monday through Friday (except on some holidays) from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for the morning commute and from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the afternoon commute. Friday afternoon service operates from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. FSP also operates mid-day service and weekends on select beats.

To learn more about this popular program, visit www.rctc.org/fsp

Design-build refers to a process in which a single entity designs and builds a project. This approach typically leads to faster project delivery, greater teamwork and communication, and a single point of responsibility, compared to the traditional design-bid-build approach, in which one firm designs the project and another firm builds the project.

In addition to the new lanes, the project widened 11 bridges, including the large Santa Ana River Bridge, and added six sound walls. The design-builder used a number of innovative methods to deliver the project:

• An overhead conveyor belt, which carried concrete from the roadside batch plant, over the I-15 travel lanes, to the highway median. From there, the concrete was transferred to trucks for paving operations. This saved time, reduced construction related traffic congestion by eliminating the need for trucks to cross live traffic, and enhanced safety.
• Pre-cast girders were fabricated to build the giant Santa Ana River Bridge. Girders measuring 170’ long and 9’ tall were manufactured off-site and moved by truck at night with CHP escorts to the bridge location. Once on site, large gantry cranes carried the girders along the 1,800’ bridge span and lowered them precisely in place. This approach greatly reduced the environmental impacts to the Santa Ana River below, saved time, and reduced traffic congestion by eliminating the need for lengthy lane closures.
• Dynamic express lane pricing was implemented, in which toll rates change up to every three minutes to reflect real-time traffic conditions, to ensure smooth traffic flow and reliable travel times.

Funding for the project was provided by Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County, and federal sources. Toll revenue is being used to repay a $152 million federal transportation infrastructure loan and to operate and maintain the lanes. During design and construction, an estimated 3,300 jobs were created.

As of September 2022, the 15 Express Lanes have 12,525 customer accounts. Motorists who carpool or drive zero-emission vehicles receive discounts, which promotes ridesharing and can help improve the region’s air quality. Express buses are able to use the lanes at no added cost to riders, further encouraging ridesharing. The project is helping to create greater mobility, which enhances the quality of living for Riverside County motorists, their families, and their communities.