More than $600 million in road projects are getting started across three major San Diego freeways and highways. NBC 7’s Brooke Martell explains the commute impact.
More than $600 million in road projects are getting started across three major San Diego freeways and state routes.
"Over the next two years, we ask for motorists' patience," Ann Fox, Caltrans District 11 director, told NBC 7 on Friday during a ceremonial groundbreaking for the projects at Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park.
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WATCH HEREThe agency will complete five freeway improvement projects across portions of Interstate 805, Interstate 5 and state Route 78. For some commuters in the North County, they may have already noticed construction getting underway.
“You’ll see that construction happening along Interstate 805, you’ll see signs talking about future work coming up on ramps up and down the I-5 corridor. We do have some early work that will start along state Route 78,” Fox said.
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SIGN UP The multimillion-dollar projects are part of Caltrans "Fix It First" strategy to repave roads, repair culverts and update traffic communication systems.
According to Caltrans, the project includes the following improvements:
- $113.7 million to restore a segment of I-5 to a state of good repair, improve ride quality, reduce maintenance interruptions, and extend the service life of the existing pavement in the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City from Camino De La Plaza to 0.3 mile south of Via De La Valle
- $126 million to enhance a 17.7-mile stretch of SR-78, from Interstate 5 in Oceanside to Broadway and Lincoln Parkway in Escondido
- $222.5 million to improve pavement conditions and upgrade infrastructure along a 14.5-mile stretch of I-805 in the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City from the San Ysidro Port of Entry to SR-15
- $107 million to execute nine miles of key corridor improvements on I-805 from the SR-15 interchange to just north of the SR-52 interchange. Improvements include replacement of outdated infrastructure and upgrades to traffic operation and communication systems
- $53 million for drainage culvert and asset management projects focusing on a 4.8-mile segment of I-805 in the city of San Diego, extending from just north of the SR-52 interchange to the I-5/I-805 separation
By the end of fall, the various projects will all be happening at once, according to Caltrans. This could be a headache for drivers like Moises Cabrera.
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"As an Uber or Lyft driver, slower times to pick up rides, just in general, it’s going to affect us timewise,” Cabrera said.
However, for someone whose job takes them on the road every day, these improvements could be better for business.
"On the flipside of it, it’s going to help us with the maintenance of our vehicles," Cabrera said. "Sometimes there’s potholes, sometimes there’s things on the road, making it a smoother ride, not just me but for most of my passengers."
So, what can drivers expect as crews fix the roads?
”We do have within the plans the availability to do overnight closures, closures that may be over an extended weekend,” Fox said.
There could be closures of ramps and lanes, and temporary freeway closures, too.
Fox emphasized that as closures happen, communities that are impacted will be notified in advance of detours and construction.
“For each of these projects, as we progress through and better understand what is that flow from the contractor, we’ll be sure to be in those communities providing that notification in those communities on that timing of what they see is happening there,” Fox said.
