The Point: Open houses offered opportunities for public to meet project team, ask questions

 

The Riverside County Transportation Commission hosted two community open houses last month to explain construction activities planned for the I-15 Express Lanes Project. Team members provided information about the construction schedule, tolling operations, funding, soundwall progress, and what to expect while work is under way.

If you weren’t able to attend, click here to view the exhibits and materials provided at the open houses. Please note that information is posted about neighboring projects, including the Cajalco/I-15 Interchange, Limonite/I-15 Interchange, and Temescal Canyon Road widening, that also were featured at the open houses. Video clips and interviews from the open houses are available through Facebook.

Construction is scheduled to start in the I-15 median in Eastvale next month. This is the first area of work scheduled in the median. RCTC will complete this segment first to avoid conflicts with the County of Riverside’s Limonite/I-15 Interchange Project, which is scheduled to start later this year.

After completing work in Eastvale, crews will shift work to other areas within the project limits, which extend from Cajalco Road to State Route 60. Throughout this 15-mile corridor, two Express Lanes will be added in both directions to expand the toll network in Riverside County. The new lanes are expected to open in 2020.

Work is continuing on the project’s first soundwall along southbound I-15 and Bedford Canyon Road, south of El Cerrito Road. Five additional walls are scheduled to start construction this summer, south of the 91. Crews also are working at the Santa Ana River Bridge, including building devices to protect birds. The devices allow birds to fly out of the bridge openings, but prevent them from flying back into the bridge opening, where work will be occurring.

To follow the progress of construction activities, please register to receive weekly Construction Updates.

Plans also are being developed for a separate project, the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector, which will link the eastbound 91 Express Lanes to the northbound I-15 Express Lanes, and link the southbound I-15 Express Lanes to the westbound 91 Express Lanes. Funded by Senate Bill 132, this connector is anticipated to be complete in 2022 and is designed to provide a seamless transition between these two Riverside County tolling systems.