The Point: 8.6-mile project will add much-needed transportation safety improvements
RCTC marked another major milestone this year by breaking ground on a significant project that will address high-priority transportation safety needs in Riverside County. On June 24, 2026, RCTC celebrated the start of construction on the Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway Project alongside project partners, elected officials, stakeholders, and community members at the project site.
The 8.6-mile project, located between one mile east of Rider Street and Warren Road in San Jacinto, will improve safety and access by constructing a raised median, adding one lane in each direction, building a new bridge over the San Jacinto River and a wildlife crossing, and upgrading traffic signals.
“The Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway Project will provide a safer and more efficient east-west connection for residents, businesses, and emergency responders throughout the region,” said Raymond Gregory, Mayor of Cathedral City and Chair of RCTC. “This project is ultimately about protecting lives, strengthening connections, and investing in the people and communities who depend on this corridor every day.”
Ramona Expressway is the second construction segment of the Mid County Parkway, a planned 16-mile corridor between Perris and San Jacinto. In 2022, RCTC completed the first segment with the delivery of the I-215 Placentia Avenue Interchange. The project added new on-ramps and off-ramps to Placentia Avenue, realigned East Frontage Road, widened the Placentia Avenue overcrossing, and added lanes to Placentia Avenue between Harvill Avenue and Indian Avenue.
The MCP Ramona Expressway Project advanced to construction thanks to Measure A – the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax measure for transportation improvements in Riverside County – and a combination of federal, state, and local funding sources.
For more information about this vital safety project and to sign up for updates, please visit: rctc.org/mcpramona