Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Sept. 14 announced the start of the next two phases of the Interstate 215 Widening Project through downtown San Bernardino. Funding for these phases includes $128 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) and $81 million from Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond.
“Californians are seeing federal stimulus and bond dollars being put to good use,” said Schwarzenegger. “Recovery Act dollars are not only improving our highways, they are creating jobs and driving our state up the road to economic recovery.”
Part of a larger $800 million, four-phase project that spans 7.5-mi. (12 km) along heavily traveled I-215, the $429 million phase 3 and 4 will continue widening the highway from Rialto Avenue to University Parkway, improve access to the east and west sides of the city of San Bernardino with 17 new bridges, and add direct connectors to State Route 210. This project is a collaborative effort between the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), San Bernardino Associated Governments and the city of San Bernardino.
“This project is a great example of collaboration between the state, regional agencies and local governments,” said Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki. “It will stimulate the local economy and will reduce congestion for generations of motorists in the Inland Empire.”
Construction on Phase 1, which rebuilt the Fifth Street Bridge, began in February 2007 and was completed in February 2008. Construction on Phase 2 began in December 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in mid-2010. Construction on Phase 3 and 4 is scheduled to begin in October 2009 and be completed in summer 2013.
