The Riverside County Transportation Commission, in partnership with the California Department of Transportation, has conducted preliminary engineering and environmental studies to develop the Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) for the proposed Interstate 15 Express Lanes Project Southern Extension.
The proposed project would improve and manage traffic operations, congestion, and travel times along the corridor by extending the I-15 Express Lanes an additional 15.8 miles from El Cerrito Road in Corona, through Temescal Valley, to State Route 74 (Central Avenue) in Lake Elsinore. The project would add two tolled express lanes in both directions within the I-15 median to accommodate increasing traffic volumes in southwestern Riverside County. The project would also add southbound I-15 auxiliary lanes between the Nichols Road entrance ramp and the Main Street exit ramp in Lake Elsinore.
Once built, the project would improve traffic operations and travel times, expand travel choice through carpooling and mass transit, increase travel time reliability, manage long-term traffic congestion, provide a cost-effective mobility solution, and expand and maintain compatibility with the regional Express Lanes network.
Other project features include widening up to 15 bridges, creating multiple express lane entrance and exit points, as well as building noise barriers, retaining walls, drainage systems, and electronic toll collection equipment and signs.