On June 16, 2025, the City of Temecula, RCTC, and project partners gathered to celebrate the completion of Phase 2 of the French Valley Parkway Improvements Project.

The I-15/215 junction serves as a vital connection for Riverside County and the greater southern California region. This junction connects travelers from San Diego and beyond and is a vital lifeline for residents of Temecula and Murrieta. As southwest Riverside County continues to grow, the I-15 corridor and ramps have become increasingly congested, but relief is on the way.

Phase 2 of the French Valley Parkway Project addresses a major traffic bottleneck on northbound I-15 between Winchester Road and I-15/215 by constructing a concrete barrier to separate highway and on-ramp traffic. It features new dedicated ramps for motorists entering northbound I-15, including a new bridge overpass for direct access to I-215, which eliminates troublesome merging and weaving.

For nearly 20 years, RCTC prioritized funding for the French Valley Parkway Project, recognizing the project’s pivotal role in alleviating congestion in the region. RCTC allocated $47 million in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funding for this project, one of the largest such allocations for a project.

Looking to the future, Phase 3 of the French Valley Parkway Project is a cornerstone of RCTC’s Traffic Relief Plan – a regionwide transportation improvement blueprint aimed at enhancing mobility across Riverside County. Partners in the region are working to start construction on future phases of French Valley Parkway to further alleviate traffic congestion. Phase 3 includes construction of the full-width of French Valley Parkway between Jefferson Avenue and Ynez Road, including the bridge overcrossing of I-15, and connecting on-ramps to the new dedicated on-ramps constructed in Phase 2. Phase 4 will construct a new northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramps for the French Valley Parkway interchange, and new dedicated ramps along southbound I-15.

RCTC is also working on additional improvements along the I-15 Corridor in Temecula and Murrieta with the construction of the I-15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project – a first of its kind in California. Completion of Phase 2 of the French Valley Parkway Improvements Project, along with planned future improvements along this busy corridor, demonstrate how local and regional agencies are working collaboratively to improve Riverside County mobility for all residents.

For more information about this project, please visit: TemeculaCA.gov/FVP

New Year, new construction project. RCTC, in partnership with Caltrans, the city of Temecula, and the Western Riverside Council of Governments, broke ground on the innovative I-15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project on January 6. When completed, the I-15 Smart Freeway system will be the first of its kind in California with the goal to improve traffic flow on northbound I-15 from the San Diego/Riverside County Line in Temecula to the I-15/I-215 Interchange in Murrieta.

During construction, crews will make updates and improvements to the northbound I-15. These upgrades include the construction of ramp entrance lanes, installing sensor technology, and enhancing ramp meters that will communicate with each other. This intercommunication between ramps will optimize entrance onto the freeway. To safely make these improvements, crews will require nighttime lane and ramp closures during construction.

Work to complete the project is anticipated to take 9 months and when complete, RCTC and Caltrans will activate the technology portion of the project for a two-year pilot period. This pilot period will allow time to evaluate the success of the project. Ramp metering technology will continuously monitor and adjust to real-time traffic conditions across three ramps. Tire-level sensors will track car volumes and as vehicles enter the freeway, the on-ramp meters at Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road, and Winchester Road will work as an integrated system to optimize incoming traffic flow on I-15. A system of algorithms and specialized teams will monitor on-ramp queues for back-ups, and if needed, the system will increase cycle speed to release more cars onto the freeway to avoid backup onto local streets.

The public can track the results on a dashboard posted at Smartfreeway.org during the pilot period. This project is an innovative solution to reducing traffic across our region that differs from costly, difficult-to-implement highway expansion projects.

Smart Freeway systems have successfully reduced travel time, accidents, and greenhouse gas emissions across various parts of Australia. The Smart Freeway system has also been tested in Denver, Colorado, with the pilot period completed in July 2022. That project was successful, and the State of Colorado seeks to make it permanent.

For more information about the Smart Freeway Pilot Project and to sign up for construction updates, please visit www.rctc.org/projects/smart-fwy-pilot/

With a snip of a ribbon, a new regional connection was unveiled which will provide access between the 15 and 71 in western Riverside County. On October 21, 2024, the City of Eastvale and the community celebrated the opening of the Limonite Gap Closure Project with a ceremonial ribbon cutting – unlocking a direct passage for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians between Eastvale, Chino, and surrounding communities. 

RCTC approved $13.5 million in Measure A Regional Arterials (MARA) Program to support the delivery of this vital project. Measure A, the countywide voter-approved half-cent sales tax measure, dedicates transportation funding to projects that benefit Riverside County residents, including significant roadways such as Limonite Avenue. 

Improving connectivity along one of the county’s major roadways, the Limonite Gap Closure Project “closed the gap,” literally, by constructing a 320-foot bridge over the Cucamonga Creek Channel to connect Limonite Avenue from Archibald Avenue to Hellman Avenue. A divided four-lane facility, totaling 2.8 miles of vehicle lanes, was constructed as part of the project and included bicycle and pedestrian facility extensions on both sides of the new roadway. These new features will provide residents with alternative travel options. A new signalized intersection and roundabout will help safely improve traffic flow and reduce idling cars sitting in traffic.  

RCTC is proud of its partnerships with the City of Eastvale and Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) that made this project possible. For more information on the Limonite Gap Closure Project, visit the project website. 

In the blink of a construction eye, the new southbound 15 lane between the Cajalco Road on-ramp in Corona and the Weirick Road off-ramp in Temescal Valley is opening. Exactly two months ago, RCTC announced that crews were placing k-rail and staging equipment to start work. Fast forward to Saturday morning, July 23, and the opening of the new lane!

RCTC’s I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project added a non-tolled lane next to the right-hand shoulder to help improve traffic flow in this heavily traveled area. To add the lane, crews strengthened the shoulder pavement to handle the extra weight of vehicles and restriped the roadway.

“Finding ways to help improve traffic operations and enhance driver safety brings our communities together,” said RCTC 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.”

This project was a collaboration between RCTC, Caltrans, the City of Corona, the County of Riverside, and the California Highway Patrol. The partners discussed ways to improve traffic operations in the area and moved forward with this speedy solution.

The lane will open with temporary signs; crews will be installing permanent signs in the coming days. Please watch for lane closure announcements for the overhead sign installation by following @therctc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or by visiting rctc.org/15icop.

RCTC has been on a roll this year to deliver projects. The 91 Corridor Operations Project in Corona opened in January, the I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange in Lake Elsinore opened in April, and the Route 60 Truck Lanes in Riverside County’s Badlands opened in May. RCTC also expects to open the I-215 Placentia Avenue Interchange in Perris this fall.

The Point: Accelerated schedule may relieve traffic congestion in heavily traveled area

Increased traffic congestion on southbound Interstate 15 between Corona and the Temescal Valley has prompted RCTC, with the support of agency partners, to approve adding a new lane between the Cajalco Road interchange and the Weirick Road southbound off-ramp, next to the I-15 outer shoulder.

An expedited schedule would allow construction of the I-15 Interim Corridor Operations Project (known as the 15 ICOP) to start next spring and potentially be open in late summer or early fall 2022.

“RCTC recognizes the difficulties that motorists face on a daily basis in this heavily traveled area, and we are expediting this project to help provide traffic relief,” said RCTC Chair Jan Harnik, who also serves as the Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem. “This interim project may offer some relief, especially during the peak afternoon and evening hours on southbound I-15 through Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Norco, Corona, and the Temescal Valley,” she said.

Since the opening of the 15 Express Lanes in April, traffic congestion has grown where the tolled lanes terminate at Cajalco Road in Corona, due to vehicles merging and weaving to the general-purpose lanes. During weekday afternoons and weekend peak hours, it can take 30 minutes for drivers to travel the five-mile stretch on southbound I-15 between the 91 and Cajalco Road.

The ICOP is the result of an agency task force led by staff from RCTC, Caltrans, the City of Corona, and the County of Riverside. The group began meeting in June to study alternatives and develop near-term improvements to help improve traffic flow. The CHP also has provided input regarding safety and vehicle pull-over locations.

To add the new lane, crews would strengthen the pavement of the outer and inner I-15 shoulders to handle traffic loads for an interim three-year period until RCTC’s 15 Corridor Operations Project could be completed.  The interim project would provide three 11-foot wide lanes, one 12-foot wide lane, a varying 3 to 8-foot wide outer shoulder, and a varying 2 to 5-foot wide inner shoulder on southbound I-15 between the Cajalco Road and Weirick Road interchanges.

RCTC staff will immediately begin environmental studies and design for the project. An aggressive construction procurement schedule would allow staff to request Commission approval of the construction contract in early 2022. This approach will save time to allow the new lane to open and provide congestion relief as soon as possible. Funding for the $5 million project would be provided by Measure A sales tax revenue bond proceeds anticipated to be available from the 15 Express Lanes Project financing completed in July 2017.

The Point: Project will improve safety, capacity, traffic flow for growing area

With one year of construction completed, the I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange project remains on track to open in late 2022.  RCTC is upgrading the interchange in partnership with Caltrans and the City of Lake Elsinore.

During the first year of work, crews added auxiliary lanes to northbound and southbound I-15, widened and reconfigured the ramps, and made local street improvements to accommodate the interchange.  The northbound hook off-ramp at Railroad Canyon Rd. is nearing completion and crews have built two new retaining walls along the future ramp.  Crews also completed the retaining wall on the south side of Railroad Canyon Rd. to stabilize the soil beneath I-15 for construction and poured concrete for the bridge support along northbound I-15.

Project improvements are focused on safer and more efficient travel through the heavily traveled interchange. Guardrails are in place along the I-15 shoulders to enhance motorist safety, and new traffic signals on local roadways are improving safety and traffic flow.  Crews also have striped more than 90,000 feet of roadway with wider, more visible striping and markers, a benefit for drivers and pedestrians.

“RCTC is excited to have reached this one-year milestone, with the support of Caltrans and the City of Lake Elsinore,” said RCTC Chair and Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik.

“This project is one of six that RCTC has actively under construction in western Riverside County and reflects the continued investment in our transportation infrastructure as we battle traffic congestion and work to improve mobility for our residents.”

Additional first-year achievements include building more than 30 drainage systems with 4,200 feet of pipe in the project area. Crews also added cosmetic touches, such as red stamped concrete on the newly rebuilt Grape St. median, and installed irrigation for future landscaping.

Like Lake Elsinore’s motto, “Dream Extreme,” the team reached some “extreme” facts and figures:

Sign up for email construction updates at RCTC.org/railroadcanyon.  Be in the know by texting RAILROAD to 772-22 and receive text updates on the go. Follow us on social media @railroadcanyon for the latest news and photos.

The Point: Construction work now about one-third complete

RCTC is making steady progress on construction of the Interstate 15 Express Lanes, and work is now about one-third complete. The new lanes will span 15 miles – from State Route 60 to Cajalco Road – and remain on schedule to open in 2020. A specific opening date has not been determined at this time.

Along the corridor, paving, bridge widening, and soundwall construction are continuing. Major milestones include:

Completing two bridges, with four other bridges in various stages of widening. Crews are widening a total of 11 bridges. Work will start  in late February on the El Cerrito Bridge.

Finishing four of the six soundwalls. The final two soundwalls will be finished this spring.

Paving various roadway sections within the I-15 median.

Maintaining an accident and injury-free record during the first year of construction.

RCTC is using several innovations to improve project efficiency and decrease effects to motorists.

A design-build method is speeding up project delivery. This method uses the same designer and contractor, which saves time and costs while ensuring quality.

Construction innovations also are in place. An on-site cement plant, called a “batch plant,” was built to reduce the distance for crews to haul cement to the paving machines.

Crews also installed a conveyor belt at the batch plant to allow trucks to be loaded and travel within the median.

The project team continues to coordinate with the neighboring Limonite Avenue Interchange Project, led by the County of Riverside, and the Cajalco Road Interchange Project, led by the City of Corona. Teams are working closely and to ensure that all three projects to stay on schedule.

A robust construction schedule is planned for the next 12 months. Watch for more roadway paving, continued widening of bridges, and installing the tolling system infrastructure. Once the lanes are closer to completion, information will be available about the opening date, toll schedules, and account options.

The 15 Express Lanes team reminds motorists to be alert of construction activities and reduced speeds within the project corridor. Please allow extra travel time, follow posted detours, and avoid distracted driving.

To stay informed through weekly construction updates, register at 15project.info or text 15Express to 22828 to get started. Please follow the project on social media @15expresslanes.

Check out the progress crews have made on the 15 Express Lanes so far by watching the 15 Facts on the 15 Express – Project Update

The Point: Use alternate routes, expect delays, allow extra travel time

The Riverside County Transportation Commission will be conducting partial closures of the 91 Express Lanes and general use lanes for three to four upcoming weekends, starting tonight.

RCTC is upgrading the 91 Express Lanes to comply with new state-mandated transponder technology. RCTC also is restriping the entrance/exit points for the westbound 91 Express Lanes to provide open access at the Riverside County/Orange County Line.

Scheduled closures for the weekend of November 16 include:

• Westbound 91 Express Lanes in Riverside County: Friday at 9 p.m. to Monday at 4 a.m.
• Westbound 91 Express Lanes in Orange County: Friday at 9 p.m. to Sunday at noon
• Eastbound 91 Express Lanes in Riverside County and Orange County: Sunday from 4 a.m. to noon
• Westbound 91 general use lanes, one to three lanes between Route 71 and Route 241: Intermittent closures from Friday at 9 p.m. to Saturday at 7 a.m. and from Saturday at 7 p.m. to Sunday at 10 a.m.

RCTC advises motorists to use alternate routes, expect delays and allow extra travel time throughout the weekend. Closures are subject to change, due to weather and the dynamic nature of construction. Motorists may stay connected via social media @15expresslanes.

Closure dates and times for subsequent weekends are available at 15project.info. No closures will take place during Thanksgiving weekend.

The restriping of the westbound 91 Express Lanes will provide more flexibility for motorists to enter or exit these lanes near the Riverside/Orange County Line. Crews will restripe this area to allow motorists to enter or exit at any point where there is a broken white line.

The new transponder technology will lead to greater interoperability between toll systems, allowing Californians with established accounts to pay for tolls when traveling in Colorado, Washington, Utah and Oregon. The change in technology also will advance longer-term efforts to create interoperability nationwide so that account holders can pay tolls on any participating facility in the country.

The Point: Watch for new conditions, annual back-to-school traffic increases

Travel lanes have shifted toward the median on both northbound and southbound Interstate 15 near State Route 91, allowing crews to work safely along the outside shoulders of I-15. The traffic shift began last week for the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s 15 Express Lanes Project.

No lanes have been removed for the traffic shift, and the lanes are the same feet in width. However, the new conditions require drivers to transition toward the median shortly after crossing the 91.

Motorists are reminded to watch for the new conditions and follow the 55 mile per hour speed limit through the construction zone on I-15 from State Route 60 to Cajalco Road.

Traffic shifts also are occurring further north on I-15 this week near the Limonite Avenue Interchange. RCTC has completed paving within the median and is transferring this construction area to the Riverside County Transportation Department – a separate agency – to build the new I-15 Limonite Avenue Interchange.

This time of year also returns more drivers to the roadways, due to schools and colleges reopening after the summer break.

Please be mindful of spikes in traffic volumes throughout the area, new student drivers near high schools, and more pedestrians on local streets. Speed limits in school zones are 25 miles per hour.

For information about the 15 Express Lanes Project or the I-15 Limonite Avenue Interchange, please visit 15project.info or rcprojects.org.