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SOUTHBOUND EXPRESS LANE available to August, 2009. Download brochure with map and details (pdf)

Project Scope

In late March 2008, Caltrans began a $91 million combined federal and state funded project to add a truck-descending lane and rehabilitate pavement on Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County near Wheaton Springs.  The construction of the truck-descending lane will improve operations and safety by separating the slower moving trucks from passenger vehicles.  The new asphalt surface will extend the life of the pavement for another 20 years and offers a quieter drive for motorists.  Construction is expected to be complete in fall of 2010.

The project consists of 12.1 miles of improvement between Bailey Road and Yates Well Road.  When completed, the project will add a truck-descending lane on the northbound side and improve the existing truck-climbing lane on the southbound side.   This will consist of replacing the existing southbound truck-climbing lane with concrete pavement.  Also, widening and re-paving the existing lanes and median on both northbound and southbound sides.

Bridge over crossings will receive pavement profile adjustments along with improved lighting conditions and the rehabilitation of local interchange ramps.   The project will extend and rehabilitate the existing drainage system to reduce the potential for flooding.  Safety upgrades such, as guardrails and transition railings will be added.

Caltrans is partnering with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in order to minimize driver inconvenience in the project area.  The contractor (Las Vegas Paving Corporation) will work weekdays during daylight hours with occasional night work.  Weekend and holiday work is not expected.  Closures are typically comprised of lane reductions and some ramp closures.

DYNAMITE WEDNESDAYS HAVE ENDED . Freeway closures for blasting are done as of Feb. 11, 2009

For safety reasons, extended four-hour closures for blasting of rocky slopes next to the southbound lanes were necessary. Every Wednesday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm the southbound I-15 was closed to all traffic. Northbound lanes had minimal delays from approximately 10:00 to 11:00 am. The blasting was scheduled to take place from January 7, 2009 to April 2009. Caltrans was able to finish by February 11, 2009. No more full freeway closures are planned until summer of 2009 for blasting on the northbound side.

Motorists using Interstate15 and traveling to and from the Las Vegas resort area should allow extra travel time for their trip.  As a reminder, traffic fines are doubled in construction zones.  Caltrans asks that motorists please be aware of the construction area and always make it a point to SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE.  

For more information visit our web site at www.caltrans8.info and click on the “News and Document Center” or contact us at (866) 383-4631.  You can also visit the Nevada Department of Transportation web site at www.nevadadot.com for more details regarding the construction schedule and lane closures.