Temecula's Faster Commute

Temecula Paves the way to a Faster Commute

In July 2019, The City of Temecula announced it was successful in securing a Federal Grant Application (INFRA “Infrastructure for Rebuilding America”) from the US Department of Transportation requesting $50 Million to close the gap on a total of $137 Million needed to complete Phase 2 of the French Valley Parkway Interchange project. With approximately $856 Million of available funding for the 200 eligible applications, 20 applications were awarded. Temecula was among this small group of INFRA Grant recipients across the country carefully selected to receive this highly competitive Federal Grant.

The French Valley Parkway Phase 2 project will construct two northbound collector distributor lanes spanning over three miles along Interstate 15, and partially along Junction 215, with a flyover bridge to better distribute traffic at the confluence of the I-15/215 Junction. These lanes will alleviate the chokepoint of congestion on Interstate 15 where weaving begins, causing daily traffic that backs up northbound travelers from that point into San Diego County; at times up to 20+ miles long. The project is anticipated to start Phase 2 construction in early 2022. Interstate 15 is a major and essential corridor of freight, commerce, and commuter traffic. A traffic survey conducted in 2018 by Western Riverside Council of Governments determined that 66-71% of the traffic on Interstate 15 is not attributable to the City of Temecula and that the majority of vehicles on Interstate 15 through Temecula do not originate, stop, or end in Temecula. Instead, drivers are traveling on Interstate 15 as the direct connection between areas south of Temecula, including San Diego County or Mexico, and areas north of Temecula including neighboring cities like Murrieta or Lake Elsinore or destinations farther including Nevada, Utah, and beyond to Montana. This competitive nationwide grant will significantly help address the daily congestion along Northbound I-15, and would not have been possible without the collective efforts of City staff, the region, and local community. The French Valley Parkway project is backed by all Federal and State elected officials whose Districts cover the expansive project site. The City is very pleased that the US Department of Transportation understands the critical need for this project and this is another huge step forward in fundamentally changing the daily commute and solving the traffic crisis in our region. The City is extremely proud of our visionary Council and staff for putting together this comprehensive and winning grant application package that will help solve a problem that currently impacts our City, the region, and hundreds of thousands of people daily.

For more information about the French Valley Parkway Project, visit TemeculaCA.gov/FVP