Contact |
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For Immediate Release: April 6, 2007 |
Cheryl Donahue |
Interstate 10 widening project in Redlands
to enter final phase; traffic switch to occur
Work on the Interstate 10 widening project between Orange Street and Ford Street in Redlands will enter the fourth and final phase this month, and motorists will see increased activity in the freeway median and along the freeway shoulders during the next week to 10 days.
Construction crews will be moving concrete barriers than now line the freeway median to their new location along the freeway shoulder. Crews will restripe the lanes, and drivers will be shifted to the newly paved lanes next to the freeway median. The traffic shift will occur first on the eastbound lanes starting this weekend, and then occur on the westbound lanes starting next week.
The slow lanes on both sides of the freeway will be closed to motorists during the last phase of work, which involves building sound walls. These lanes must be closed to ensure the safety of the crews that will be working on the sound walls.
The 14-foot split-face block walls will be built adjacent to the freeway during the next year. The walls will extend from approximately 6th Street to east of Highland Avenue on the north side of the freeway, and from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks to east of Highland Avenue on the south side of the freeway. Vines will be planted at the base of the sound walls to provide color and deter graffiti.
Motorists are urged to drive carefully through the construction zone and to watch for vehicles and crews while work is underway.
The Interstate 10 widening project is led by San Bernardino Associated Governments, the county’s transportation authority, with support by the Federal Highway Administration, Caltrans and the City of Redlands. Work on this $46 million construction effort ($32 million in federal funds, $14 million in local Measure I sales tax revenue) began in November 2005 and is expected to be complete by spring 2008.
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