Moreno Valley to San Bernardino Valley Corridor Study
Commuters
making the trek between Moreno Valley and the eastern cities in the San Bernardino Valley are familiar with the daily challenges this drive poses.
Residents in the Reche Canyon and Pigeon Pass areas - common alternate
routes used by travelers - are familiar with safety and environmental
concerns related to traffic through their neighborhoods.
These challenges and concerns were among those considered as two policy committees that began meeting in the fall of 2000 to conduct the Moreno Valley to San Bernardino County Corridor Study. This study is spearheaded by an effort initiated by the County of Riverside as part of its Community and Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process. CETAP identified the Moreno Valley/San Bernardino County corridor as one of its top priorities for improvement. A Policy Committee, comprised of elected representatives from San Bernardino and Riverside counties, and a Technical Advisory Committee analyzed possible alternatives to bridge the two counties and selected eight routes for detailed study.
Public meetings were held in April 2001 to obtain comments from citizens about these eight proposed routes. Maps were produced that showed locations of possible new or expanded roadways and additional transit services. During the public meetings, many participants expressed the need to retain the rural character of the area and to restrict local access to new roadways. It was noted that new roads should be viewed as connectors to improve traffic movement and safety, not as opportunities to develop more of the canyon areas. The need to include design features that support wildlife and reduce environmental impacts were noted as critically important.
The eight alternatives that were proposed to improve transportation between the counties included:
- Building a new parkway from the Interstate 215/State Route 60 junction north along Morton Road and under Box Springs Mountain using a tunnel. This would connect across Reche Canyon Road to California Street at Interstate 10 in Redlands.
- Extending Pigeon Pass Road to four lanes and creating a new alignment to Reche Canyon Road, then widening Reche Canyon Road to connect opposite Hunts Lane in Colton
- Widening Reche Vista Drive and Reche Canyon Road to four lanes and connecting opposite Hunts Lane in Colton
- Extending Pigeon Pass Road to four lanes to Reche Canyon Road, and then continuing as a four-lane or six-lane parkway to California Street in Redlands
- Extending Moreno Beach Drive to Reche Canyon Road and creating a new four-lane or six-lane parkway to connect with California Street in Redlands
- Expanding Omnitrans and RTA service between Moreno Valley and San Bernardino County, using one or more of the new roads
- Expanding existing express bus service between Riverside and San Bernardino counties to include new stops
- Expanding Metrolink train service from San Bernardino to Moreno Valley and/or to Redlands
After further study of the eight alternatives, the SANBAG Board of Directors and the Riverside County Transportation Commission adopted the first option (building a new parkway from the Interstate 215/State Route 60 junction north along Morton Road and under Box Springs Mountain using a tunnel) as a “core alignment” supported by ancillary arterial facilities. These ancillary arterial facilities include those along Reche Canyon Road, Reche Vista Avenue, Pigeon Pass Road and a connection from Pigeon Pass Road to Main Street in Highgrove, across Interstate 215 to Riverside Avenue and Interstate 10. It is recognized that the tunnel portion may come as a later phase, due to its high cost. The Policy Committee also has recommended that this new facility have environmentally sensitive design features and not be open to truck traffic.
SANBAG and the Riverside County Transportation Commission are proceeding with development of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental impact report. The EIR will enable both transportation agencies to analyze in greater detail the potential benefits and impacts of possible new transportation facilities in this area. The EIR will define the location and type of roadway and allow for the preservation of right-of-way for the preferred alternative.
- See the Notice
of Preparation for the EIR (1.6MB Acrobat pdf).
SANBAG Contact
Steve Smith
Principal Transportation Analyst
Phone: (909) 884-8276
Fax: (909) 885-4407
Email: ssmith@sanbag.ca.gov