Federal Highway Administration Cuts Ribbon on San Bernardino’s Devore Interchange |
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Topics: Interstate Highway System
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Federal Highway Administration
20 May 2016
FHWA 31-16
Friday, May 20, 2016
Contact: Nancy Singer
Tel.: 202-366-0660
Project to bring congestion relief on major freight route in Southern California
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Federal Highway Deputy Administrator David Kim today joined state and local officials to cut the ribbon on the Devore Interchange Project, which will improve safety and relieve congestion on a critical trade route in San Bernardino County. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contributed $200 million toward the total project cost of $325 million.
“The tremendous growth in Southern California and the Inland Empire has made it paramount to improve the interchange and provide congestion relief to both commuters and truckers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We need more of these types of projects nationwide that fix traffic bottlenecks while underscoring the need for sustained and robust federal funding.”
The traffic problems faced by San Bernardino County reaffirm the concerns outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Beyond Traffic” report, which examines the trends and choices facing America’s transportation infrastructure over the next three decades, including increasing freight volume. Federal officials expect increased gridlock nationwide unless improvements are made in the near-term.
Located at the junction of I-15 and I-215, the interchange serves up to 160,000 vehicles each day, including 21,000 commercial trucks, often causing backups from the Devore curve five miles away. The California Department of Transportation estimates that traffic along this route will more than double to 379,000 vehicles per day by 2040.
“Projects like this one illustrate the nation’s ongoing need to upgrade our infrastructure and prepare for increased freight movement if we are to support continued economic growth,” said FHWA Deputy Administrator David Kim. “Bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions undermine the productivity of businesses and the quality of life for the entire region.”
As part of the project, the I-15/I-215 interchange and adjacent interchanges were reconfigured with an added lane in each direction for a total of 5.3 miles throughout the project area.
The Devore Interchange Project is important to freight movement with the emergence of I-15 as a major truck and trade route. Activity at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has increased dramatically in recent years, and much of the cargo delivered by ship ends up on trucks which use I-15 to reach destinations throughout the nation.