Interstate 215 (I-215) is a north–south
auxiliary Interstate Highway
Auxiliary Interstate Highways (also called three-digit Interstate Highways) are a supplemental subset of the freeways within the Interstate Highway System of the United States.
Auxiliary routes are generally classified as spur routes, which con ...
in the
Inland Empire
The Inland Empire (IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County to the west. It includes the cities o ...
region of the San Bernardino–Riverside urban area in
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
. It has portions designated as the Barstow, Escondido, and Armed Forces Freeways. I-215 is a
bypass auxiliary route of
I-15, running from
Murrieta
Murrieta is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The population of Murrieta was 110,949 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Murrieta experienced a 133.7% population increase between 2000 and 2010, ma ...
to northern
San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
. While I-215 connects the city centers of both
Riverside
Riverside may refer to:
Places Australia
* Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania
Canada
* Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon
* Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta
* Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
and San Bernardino, its parent I-15 runs to the west through
Corona
Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to:
* Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star
* Corona (beer), a Mexican beer
* Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...
and
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.
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
Murrieta is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The population of Murrieta was 110,949 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Murrieta experienced a 133.7% population increase between 2000 and 2010, ma ...
, in southwestern
Riverside County
Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...
. It then runs north through
Menifee and northwest through
Perris
Perris is an old railway city in Riverside County, California, United States, located east-southeast of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. It is known for Lake Perris, an artificial lake, skydiving, and its sunny dry climate. Perris is wit ...
, passing
March Air Reserve Base before joining
State Route 60 (SR 60) in
Riverside
Riverside may refer to:
Places Australia
* Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania
Canada
* Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon
* Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta
* Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
, near the
Moreno Valley
Moreno Valley is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and is part of the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Riverside County by population and one of the Inland Empire's po ...
city limits. From just north of downtown Perris to eastern Riverside near the Central Avenue interchange, the tracks of
Metrolink's
91/Perris Valley Line run along the freeway.
I-215 overlaps with SR 60 for about in Riverside while passing through the campus of
UC Riverside
The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public land-grant research university in Riverside, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The main campus sits on in a suburban distr ...
and splits from it at
SR 91 near downtown Riverside. It then travels north through
Colton,
Grand Terrace
Grand Terrace is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 12,040 at the 2010 census, up from 11,626 at the 2000 census. Grand Terrace is located between Highgrove and Colton, along the I-215 and Agua Man ...
, and
San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
before turning northwest and rejoining I-15 near the small San Bernardino neighborhood of
Devore Devore may refer to:
* Devoré, a fabric technique
*Devore, San Bernardino, California
*Devore, Indiana
People with the surname
*Chuck DeVore (born 1962), American politician
* Daniel Bradford Devore, (1860–1956), American brigadier general
*Doro ...
.
This route is an alternative to I-15 for drivers traveling from
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, or
San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
, to the
San Diego metropolitan area
San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinbu ...
. This route offers a slight distance advantage as an alternative to
I-15's alignment about to the west of (and roughly parallel to) I-215. The distance between the two I-15/I-215 junctions is almost shorter using I-215 rather than I-15.
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 north of SR 210 in San Bernardino only has two lanes in each direction (while I-15 has four), its co-designation with SR 60 and routing through Riverside requires motorists in both directions to "change freeways" to remain on I-215, and that most of I-215 has a speed limit (except for a short segment in northern San Bernardino north of Palm Avenue, which has a speed limit).
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
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses both State highways and federal highways in California. It is defined by Article 2 (commenci ...
,
and is part of the
National Highway System,
a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
.
I-215 is eligible for the
State Scenic Highway System,
but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the
California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the cabinet-level California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Caltrans is headquartered in Sacrame ...
.
On January 24, 1957, the State Highway Commission defined the
Escondido Freeway The Escondido Freeway is one of the named principal Southern California freeways. It consists of the following segments:
*California State Route 15, from Interstate 5 southeast of Downtown San Diego and Interstate 8 in San Diego
*Interstate 15
I ...
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
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
near San Bernardino, the highway is known as the
Riverside Freeway
The Riverside Freeway is one of the named principal Southern California freeways. It consists of the following segments:
* State Route 91, from Interstate 5 in Buena Park to State Route 60 in Riverside
* Interstate 215, from State Route 60 in Rive ...
. From I-10 to SR 210, I-215 is known as the San Bernardino Freeway. Between Highland Avenue in San Bernardino and its northern terminus, I-215 is named the
Barstow Freeway The Barstow Freeway is one of the named principal Southern California freeways. It consists of the following segments:
* Interstate 215, from California State Route 210 to Interstate 15 in San Bernardino
*Interstate 15
Interstate 15 (I-15 ...
. Unofficially, I-215 is known as the Armed Forces Freeway between I-15 and SR 60, given its proximity to the
March Air Reserve Base.
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 start at zero at the I-15 interchange in Murrieta. Around 1968, US 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. In 1982, this route was then 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
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway to ...
, 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. 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 reconstructed to include some high-speed flyovers, one of which carries I-215 southbound traffic. In addition, when I-215 temporarily cosigns 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
San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG or SanBAG) was an association of the San Bernardino County local governments and the regional transportation planning agency Including also regional planning organization for the county, with policy ...
of San Bernardino County to widen I-215 between Orange Show Road and University Parkway in San Bernardino began in 2007. 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 , $723 million expansion project included the reconstruction of all underpasses and overpasses within the project as well as connector ramps between I-215 and SR 210. The widening was completed in late 2013, and all construction signage and equipment were completely removed by spring of 2014.
*Phase 1: 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.
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: Freeway widening between Orange Show Road and Rialto Avenue. Construction began on Phase 2 in December 2007 and was completed in July 2010.
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: 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.
As part of this phase, the freeway was 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 were eliminated with drivers using new 5th Street and Baseline Street onramps that connect directly to the newly constructed bridges. This new configuration provides more balanced access to the west and east sides of the city. Also, residents living alongside the northbound side of the freeway have a sound wall to help block out freeway noise.
*Phase 4: freeway widening between Massachusetts Avenue and University Parkway. Construction began in January 2010 and was completed in November 2012.
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-purpose and carpool lane added in each direction south of the I-215 / SR 210 interchange, a southbound auxiliary lane and a northbound general-purpose lane were added between University Parkway and the I-215 / SR 210 interchange.
Future
Many improvements are in the works along the entire length of the I-215 corridor. Several interchanges are planned to be built or reconstructed, such as the interchange at University Parkway in San Bernardino, which is planned to be converted into a
diverging diamond interchange
A diverging diamond interchange (DDI), also called a double crossover diamond interchange (DCD), is a subset of diamond interchange in which the opposing directions of travel on the non-freeway road cross each other on either side of the inte ...
. Long-range plans include adding a carpool lane in each direction on a section of I-215 between Nuevo Road in Perris and SR 60 near Moreno Valley. There are also plans to connect I-215 at its southern terminus in Murrieta to a planned collector–distributor lane system on I-15 near the Temecula–Murrieta border, providing access to interchanges at French Valley Parkway and Winchester Road.
Exit list
See also
*
References
External links
California @ AARoads.com - I-215Caltrans: Route 215 highway conditionsSANBAG I-215 Widening site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 15-2 (California)
15-2
215 California
215
Year 215 ( CCXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Laetus and Sulla (or, less frequently, year 968 ''Ab urbe condita''). ...
Roads in Riverside County, California
Roads in San Bernardino County, California
15-2 California
U.S. Route 91
Murrieta, California
Menifee, California
Perris, California
Transportation in Riverside, California
Moreno Valley, California
Colton, California
Transportation in San Bernardino, California