Interstate 215 (California)

Interstate 215 marker

Interstate 215
I-215 highlighted in red
Route information
Defined by Streets and Highways Code § 515
Maintained by Caltrans
Length 55.060 mi[1] (88.610 km)
Existed 1982 – present
History 1960s as a highway, 1982 as a number
Major junctions
South end I-15 in Murrieta
  SR 74 in Perris
SR 60 / SR 91 in Riverside
I-10 in San Bernardino
SR 259 in San Bernardino
SR 210 in San Bernardino
North end I-15 in San Bernardino
Location
Counties Riverside, San Bernardino
Highway system
SR 213SR 216

Interstate 215 (I-215), also known as the Barstow, Escondido, and Armed Forces Freeways, is a 54.5-mile-long (87.7 km) north–south Interstate Highway in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. It is an auxiliary route of I-15, running from Murrieta to northern San Bernardino. While I-215 connects the city centers of both Riverside and San Bernardino, its parent I-15 runs to the west through Corona and Ontario.

Part of I-215 was once signed as Interstate 15E (I-15E), but this was changed in 1974 as almost all of the Interstates around the country with directional suffixes were eventually renumbered or eliminated.

Route description

The southern terminus of I-215 is at the junction of I-15 in the city of Murrieta just north of Temecula in southwestern Riverside County. It then runs north through Menifee and Perris before joining State Route 60 (SR 60) near Moreno Valley.

I-215 splits from SR 60 at SR 91 in Riverside, where it then travels to San Bernardino before terminating at I-15 near the small San Bernardino neighborhood of Devore.

This route is an alternative to I-15 for drivers traveling from, for example, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and San Bernardino, to the San Diego metropolitan area. This route offers more of a distance advantage since it is an alternative to I-15's alignment that is about 10 miles (16 km) to the west of, and roughly parallel to, I-215.

However, the traffic and time "advantage" on I-215 is limited by three factors: the segment between the I-15/I-215 "Devore junction" and San Bernardino only has two lanes in each direction (on the other hand, I-15 has four), it is co-signed with SR 60 between Riverside and Moreno Valley, and that, while there are three lanes in each direction between Murrieta Hot Springs Road and SR 60, each city along this part of the corridor is undergoing rapid population growth, which has contributed to increased traffic congestion during and outside of peak hours.

The junction of I-15 and I-215 in southwestern Riverside County

I-215 is also used by local residents as the major north–south route for the urbanized portions of the San Bernardino–Riverside–Ontario metropolitan area. (I-15 serves a similar function in the western portion of the metropolitan area; the two are the only continuous north–south freeways in the area.)

I-215 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[2] and is part of the National Highway System,[3] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration.[4]. I-215 is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System,[5] but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation.[6] On January 24, 1957, the State Highway Commission defined the Escondido Freeway as what is now Routes 15 and 215 from Route 805 to Route 91. This entire segment was previously Route 395 when it was named. From the SR 60/SR 91 interchange in Riverside to I-10 in San Bernardino, the highway is known as the Riverside Freeway. Between Highland Avenue in San Bernardino and its northern terminus, I-215 is named the Barstow Freeway.[7] Unofficially, I-215 is known as the Armed Forces Freeway between SR 60 and I-15, given its proximity to the March Air Reserve Base.[8]

History

The highway (not an Interstate) that is currently I-215 first opened in 1963 as part of U.S. Route 395 (US 395). The "mileposts" in Riverside County reflect this, since they do not go to zero at the I-15 interchange in Murrieta. In circa 1968, U.S. 395 was renumbered as I-15 (the original proposed route, as SR 71's proposed number was I-15W/SR 31 Hamner-Milliken). This segment of US 395 was again renumbered in 1972 as (Temporary) I-15E. Next in 1974, this route was renumbered as State Route 194. Next in 1982, this route was renumbered as I-215 north of SR 60, and as State Route 215 south of SR 60. Once SR 215 was upgraded to Interstate Highway standards, it became part of I-215 in 1994. Prior to its upgrade to Interstate standards, there were traffic signals at SR 74, as well as at Alessandro Boulevard (in Moreno Valley); two railroad crossings had also intersected the I-215 expressway at SR 74 and south of Cactus Avenue at then-March Air Force Base.

Due to the fact that the I-215 designation was overlaid upon existing freeways between the southern junction with SR 60 and the city of San Bernardino, the SR 60/SR 91/I-215 interchange in the city of Riverside has been widely known for its confusing nature concerning the numbering of I-215. While SR 60 continues east-and-west through this interchange, and SR 91 continues southwest (and formerly to the north), the I-215 designation continues away from this interchange on SR 60 east and the former northern portion of SR 91 (now solely numbered I-215). Travelers following I-215 in either direction need to "change freeways" at this interchange, instead of just following through lanes. The interchange was recently reconstructed to include some high-speed flyovers, one of which carries I-215 southbound traffic. In addition, when I-215 temporarily co-signs SR 60 in Riverside, the mileposts for I-215 supersede mileposts for SR 60. Motorists traveling east-west on SR 60 must begin counting exits at a new number, in the reverse order, during the I-215 overlap.

San Bernardino widening project

A joint project between Caltrans and SANBAG of San Bernardino County to widen I-215 between Orange Show Road and University Parkway in San Bernardino began in 2007.[9] With its completion, the project added one general use lane and one carpool lane in each direction, bringing the total number of lanes from six to 10 lanes across. The 7.5-mile, $723 million project included the reconstruction of all underpasses and overpasses within the project as well as connector ramps between I-215 and SR 210. This major expansion and revitalization project will help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow on this freeway that serves as a gateway to Victor Valley, Riverside County, Orange County, Los Angeles County and points beyond. The widening was completed in late 2013, and all construction signage and equipment were completely removed by Spring of 2014.[10]

Construction between Inland Center Drive and Orange Show Road in San Bernardino
  • Phase 1 status: Reconstruction of 5th Street Bridge. Work began in January 2007 and was completed in November 2008, approximately six months ahead of schedule and $2 million under budget.[11] The 5th Street bridge was built in phases with the new bridge being constructed alongside the old structure to allow for continuous use of the east/west corridor during construction.
  • Phase 2 status: Freeway widening between Orange Show Road and Rialto Avenue. Construction began on Phase 2 in December 2007 and was completed in July 2010.[11] In addition to the reconstruction of various bridges, the freeway was widened from three to five lanes in each direction through this stretch of road. Aesthetic wallscapes depict the City’s iconic symbols including palm trees, the San Bernardino mountain range, fountains representing the local springs and more.
  • Phase 3 status: Freeway widening between Rialto Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue. Construction began in September 2009 and finished in mid-2013. This phase received $128 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds, one of the largest allocations of funding to a construction project in the country.[12] As part of this phase, freeway lanes will be widened from three to five lanes in each direction along with the reconstruction of various bridges and underpasses. Following construction completion, all fast-lane entrances and exits will be eliminated with drivers using new 5th Street and Baseline Street on-ramps that connect directly to the newly constructed bridges. This new configuration will provide more balanced access to the west and east sides of the city. Also, residents living alongside the northbound side of the freeway will have a soundwall to help block out freeway noise.
  • Phase 4 status: freeway widening between Massachusetts Avenue and University Parkway. Construction began in January 2010 and was completed in November 2012.[13] A key feature in this phase was the construction of I-215/SR 210 connector ramps. Drivers now have direct access to these freeways in all directions. In addition to a general use and carpool lane added in each direction south of the I-215/SR 210 interchange, a southbound auxiliary lane and a northbound general use lane have been added between University Parkway and the I-215/SR 210 interchange.

Exit list

Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment of US 395 as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary (for a full list of prefixes, see the list of postmile definitions).[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.

CountyLocationPostmile
[1][14][15]
Exit
[16]
DestinationsNotes
Riverside
RIV R8.94–45.33
MurrietaR8.94 I-15 south (Temecula Valley Freeway) Temecula, San DiegoSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; southern terminus; I-15 exit 63 northbound
R9.511 To I-15 north / Murrieta Hot Springs Road Lake Elsinore
R10.652Los Alamos Road
R12.514Clinton Keith Road
MurrietaMenifee lineR14.506Keller RoadProposed interchange[17]
R15.527Scott Road
MenifeeR18.5210Newport Road
R20.8412McCall Boulevard Sun City
Perris22.7614Ethanac Road
23.5415 SR 74 east HemetSouth end of SR 74 overlap
26.3117 SR 74 west (4th Street) Lake Elsinore, PerrisNorth end of SR 74 overlap
27.2318D StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
R27.8919Nuevo Road
R29.5021Placentia AvenueConstruction to begin in fall 2019[18]
R30.9322Ramona Expressway, Cajalco Expressway
R32.3323Harley Knox BoulevardFormerly Oleander Avenue[19]
March Air Reserve BaseR34.1725Van Buren Boulevard Riverside National Cemetery, March Field Air Museum
Moreno ValleyR35.7627ACactus Avenue March JARB, Moreno Valley, Arnold HeightsSigned as exits 27A (east) and 27B (west) southbound
R36.4227BAlessandro BoulevardSigned as exit 27C southbound
R37.4428Eucalyptus Avenue, Eastridge Avenue
RiversideR38.3429 SR 60 east (Moreno Valley Freeway) Beaumont, IndioSouth end of SR 60 overlap; SR 60 exit 58 westbound
R38.9230ABox Springs Road, Fair Isle Drive Box SpringsNo access from I-215 North
39.4830BCentral Avenue, Watkins Drive
40.2831El Cerrito DriveClosed
40.9832AMartin Luther King BoulevardSigned as exit 31 northbound
41.4932BUniversity AvenueSigned as exit 32 northbound
42.1633Blaine Street, 3rd Street
42.8434ASpruce StreetClosed
43.2734B SR 91 west (Riverside Freeway) Riverside, Beach CitiesLeft exit southbound; SR 91 exit 65B-C; former US 91 south
43.2734C SR 60 west (Pomona Freeway) Pomona, Los AngelesNorth end of SR 60 overlap; left exit northbound; SR 60 exit 53B eastbound
43.9035Columbia Avenue
45.0136Center Street Highgrove
San Bernardino
SBD 0.00–17.75
Colton0.4037La Cadena Drive, Iowa Avenue Colton
Grand Terrace1.3138Barton Road
Colton2.6939Mt. Vernon Avenue, Washington StreetMt. Vernon Avenue was old US 66/US 91/US 395
San Bernardino4.0540 I-10 (San Bernardino Freeway) Redlands, Indio, Los AngelesSigned as exits 40A (east) and 40B (west) northbound; former US 70/US 99; I-10 exit 72
5.0341Orange Show Road, Auto Plaza Drive
5.5842AInland Center Drive Inland Center Mall
6.0642BMill Street San Bernardino Airport
6.79432nd Street, 3rd Street San Bernardino Civic Center
7.1844A SR 66 west (5th Street) San Bernardino Civic CenterSigned as exit 44 southbound
8.0844BBase Line StreetSigned as exit 45 southbound
8.6045A To SR 210 east (SR 259) Highland, Running SpringsNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; SR 210 exit 75B westbound
9.0345BMuscupiabe DriveClosed
9.3646AHighland AvenueSouthbound exit is via exit 46B
9.7246BMt. Vernon Avenue, 27th Street
10.0546C SR 210 west (Foothill Freeway) Pasadena, RedlandsSR 210 exit 74; former SR 30
11.6348Cal State San Bernardino/University Parkway - University DistrictFormer SR 206 north
14.0950Palm Avenue, Kendall Drive - VerdemontFormer SR 206 south
17.3254ADevore Road DevoreSigned as exit 54 southbound; former US 66 west
17.7554B I-15 south (Ontario Freeway) Los Angeles, San DiegoNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; I-15 exit 123
17.75 I-15 north (Mojave Freeway) Barstow, Las VegasNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

    See also

    • California Roads portal

    References

    1. 1 2 3 California Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (XLS file) on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
    2. California State Legislature. "Section 250–257". Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California State Legislature. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
    3. Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: Riverside–San Bernardino, CA (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
      Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: Temecula, CA (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
    4. Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
    5. California State Legislature. "Section 260–284". Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California State Legislature. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
    6. California Department of Transportation (September 7, 2011). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
    7. California Department of Transportation; California State Transportation Agency (January 2015). 2014 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California. Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. pp. 94, 98, 101, 116, 227. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
    8. Google Maps
    9. "I-215 Widening Project". Retrieved October 5, 2014.
    10. SANBAG: Measure I Freeway Projects Archived July 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
    11. 1 2 SANBAG. "SANBAG: Phase I". Retrieved November 2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
    12. SANBAG. "SANBAG: ARRA". Retrieved November 2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
    13. SANBAG. "SANBAG: Phase VI". Retrieved November 2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
    14. California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation.
    15. California Department of Transportation, All Traffic Volumes on CSHS, 2005 and 2006
    16. California Department of Transportation, California Numbered Exit Uniform System, I-215 Northbound and I-215 Southbound, accessed February 2008
    17. https://www.pe.com/2014/09/18/murrieta-keller-roadi-215-interchange-to-be-accelerated/
    18. http://www.rctc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Website-Edits_I-215_Placentia-IC_7-2-18_REV.pdf
    19. "Harley Knox Boulevard". Cityofperris.org. Retrieved 2013-01-26.

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