What are the plans to help congested traffic on the 15 Freeway?

QLance Kelley of Murrieta says he’s heard plans to improve traffic flow on the 15 Freeway through Temecula, but “I’ve not seen any actual effort to improve the daily clog that has been in place for more than 10 years.” Kelley asked for the “root cause” of what he called a lack of action to improve the area’s traffic flow, adding, “Is it political? Lack of proper public outrage? Incompetence?”

AWe can cite many causes for the traffic on the 15 in Temecula: the population growth in recent years in Temecula, Murrieta and French Valley; the lack of alternate means of transportation to get commuters out of their individual vehicles; and the lack of well-paying jobs in Temecula/ Murrieta/french Valley which has created a commuter culture, taking thousands onto the 15 to commute to San Diego, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. Cities and transportation agencies are constantly seeking funding for freeway and road projects to keep up with population growth. There is only so much space to keep adding freeway lanes (which research suggests just attracts more development, so doesn’t solve the problem.) These are all issues Temecula and Murrieta residents should discuss with their elected officials.

Some major projects completed in recent years, or those coming up, can help traffic flow on the

15 in Temecula include building the French Valley Parkway exit and a major upcoming expansion of French Valley Parkway (learn more about it here: https://temeculaca. gov/277/french-valleyparkway-interchange).

The Winchester Road off-ramp on the 15 also was widened in recent years.

Here’s another upcoming pilot project expected to start construction in fall and begin in 2025: the Interstate 15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project. (See details: https://www.rctc. org/projects/smart-fwy-pilot/.) The Riverside County

Transportation Commission, in partnership with Caltrans, the city of Temecula, and the Western Riverside Council of Governments, will use sensors and “smart” technology to continuously monitor realtime traffic conditions on the 15 from the San Diego County line to the 15-215 interchange in Murrieta. Ramp meters will also be used to coordinate vehicle flow onto the 15 Freeway from Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road, and Winchester Road onramps. This should improve traffic flow and reduce crashes on the 15 Freeway, the agencies said.

Wildlife crossings

Finally, here’s some cool news to think about the next time you drive up the 15 Freeway to Las Vegas. Caltrans, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Brightline West plan to design and build three new wildlife overcrossings across the 15 along with the future Brightline West highspeed rail system that will connect Las Vegas and Southern California. These wildlife overcrossings will give animals in the area, especially the Mojave Desert’s bighorn sheep, a safer way to cross existing freeway lanes as well as the 218-mile electric, highspeed rail system planned to be built within the median. The locations for the wildlife overcrossings are all in San Bernardino County: near Zzyzx Road, near Mountain Pass, and near Rasor Road. The project also will install desert tortoise fencing and wildlife exclusionary fencing.

Local agencies have stepped up efforts in recent years to protect wildlife from freeway dangers. Wildlife crossings have come in along roadways throughout Southern California.