District: District 11 – San Diego and Imperial Counties
Contact: Aaron Hunter
Phone: (619) 688-6670
San Diego — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) today held a groundbreaking ceremony to highlight five infrastructure improvement projects throughout San Diego County to improve safety and extend the life of the transportation system. The projects will address pavement, improve drainage culverts, and upgrade traffic operations and communications.
“These investments support Caltrans’ mission to build and maintain a transportation system that serves Californians now and decades into the future,” said Ann Fox, Caltrans District 11 Director. “These efforts translate into safer travel throughout the county by improving conditions for roadside workers, upgrading traffic management system assets and prioritizing bridge preservation—enhancements that help reduce highway collisions and provide a better ride for drivers.”
“It’s great to see these vital improvements being made to our state transportation system, ensuring it is clean, safe and modern,” said State Senator Catherine Blakespear. “An efficient and effective transportation network is crucial to the San Diego region’s thriving economy and high quality of life.”
“The CTC is honored to have played a role in funding these projects,” said CTC Commissioner Clarissa Falcon, who represents the San Diego region on the CTC. “These improvement projects will increase safety for drivers and for our maintenance workers and extend the life of our transportation system.”
Projects include:
- $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 Improvements include replacement of outdated infrastructure and upgrades to traffic operation and communication systems.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 improvement 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.
IIJA, also known as the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill, is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our country’s energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. California has received nearly $62 billion in federal infrastructure funding since its passage. This includes investments to upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, ports and waterways. The funding alone has already created more than 170,000 jobs in California.
Meanwhile, SB 1 invests approximately $5 billion annually toward transportation projects. It provides funding split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1. Other funding sources include the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) and other federal funding.