RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), in partnership with Caltrans, City of Temecula, and Western Riverside Council of Governments, will launch California’s first of its kind Smart Freeway system with the activation of the I-15 Smart Freeway Project on Monday, June 1, 2026. The pilot project will operate for a two-year period and help shape future freeway operations projects throughout Riverside County and the state.

“Launching California’s first Smart Freeway is an exciting step forward for Riverside County,” said RCTC Chair Raymond Gregory. “Building our way out of traffic congestion is not an option. In today’s environment of rapid growth, we must look at how we can combine technology with existing infrastructure to improve the driving experience. The Smart Freeway Pilot Project is an example of finding a lower cost solution that will help improve traffic flow without the addition of new lanes.”

This project is intended to address the increasing traffic congestion along an 8-mile stretch of northbound I-15 between the Riverside/San Diego County line in Temecula and the I-15/I-215 interchange in Murrieta. As the first-of-its-kind in California, the newly activated system uses advanced technology to improve traffic flow, reduce stop-and-go conditions, and provide more reliable travel times for drivers.

Ramp meters at Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road, and Winchester Road will operate in coordination to optimize the rate of vehicles entering the freeway during peak hours Digital message signs will display recommended speeds in real-time to improve safety and traffic flow. During the pilot period, drivers may have a slightly longer wait before entering the freeway, but the goal is to improve overall freeway travel times.

In coordination with Caltrans, RCTC will analyze results over two years to evaluate system performance. A public dashboard will be available by the end of the year to share updates and performance metrics with the community. If the system is determined to be successful, implementation may be considered in other parts of Riverside County and beyond.

The project was funded by federal, state, and local sources. Of the $33 million secured, $27 million came from federal funding; the State provided $1 million, and $5 million was secured through a congressional Community Project Funding request by Representative Ken Calvert. Local, state, and federal officials gathered in the City of Temecula on Friday, May 29 to celebrate the partnership and significant project milestone of the system’s activation.