Interstate 215 (California)

Infobox road
state=CA
type=I
route=215
section=515
maint=Caltrans
alternate_name=Escondido Freeway, Riverside Freeway, San Bernardino Freeway, Barstow Freeway

---

length_mi=54.5
length_round=1
length_ref= [http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/structur/strmaint/brlog2.htm January 1, 2006 California Log of Bridges on State Highways] ]
history=1960s as a highway, 1982 as a number
direction_a=South
terminus_a=Jct|state=CA|I|15 in Murrieta
junction=Jct|state=CA|SR|60|SR|91 in Riverside
Jct|state=CA|I|10 near San Bernardino
direction_b=North
terminus_b=Jct|state=CA|I|15 at Devore
previous_type=SR
previous_route=213
browse_route=
next_type=SR
next_route=216
commons=category

Interstate 215 (I-215) in California is a convert|54.5|mi|km|sing=on long north-south Interstate Highway in the "Inland Empire" region of Southern California. Part of I-215 was originally built and signed as Interstate 15E, but this was later changed. California was also eliminating such numberings as Interstate 5W and Interstate 5E. When Interstate 15E became I-215, Interstate 15W in that same general area became simply Interstate 15.

Interstate 215 passes through the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino while its parent route Interstate 15 runs through the "suburbs". However, the definitions for U.S. Interstate highways say that a highway with the extra leading digits of {2, 4, 6, or 8} is defined as an additional Interstate route "around or through" a metropolitan location. This same situation in seen in places like Des Moines, Iowa, where Interstate 80 goes around the city, but other routes like Interstate 235 and Interstate 35 go through it. The same situation applies at St. Joseph, Missouri, where Interstate 29 goes around the city, but Interstate 229 goes through it.

This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System [http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=250-257 CA Codes (shc:250-257)] ] and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System [http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=260-284 CA Codes (shc:260-284)] ] .

Note: Interstate 80S in Colorado became Interstate 76 at around the same time that Interstate 80N connecting Utah with western Oregon became Interstate 84. These simplifications were possible because it was decided that there was not trouble with having one I-76 in Pennsylvania, and another one in Colorado. Likewise, it is no trouble having an I-84 in the northeastern states, and a different I-84 in the northwestern states. In California, all of the "E" and "W" numberings were done away with.

Route description

The southern terminus of Interstate 215 is at the junction of Interstate 15 in the city of Murrieta in southern Riverside County.It then runs north through Perris before joining State Route 60 in Moreno Valley.

I-215 splits from SR 60 at the State Route 91 in Riverside, where it then travels to San Bernardino before terminating at I-15 near the small community of Devore.

This route is an alternative to I-15 for drivers traveling from, for example, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, and San Bernardino, to the San Diego metropolitan area. This route offers more of a distance advantage since it it is an alternative to Interstate 15's alignment that is about convert|10|mi|km to the west of, and roughly parallel to, I-215. However, the traffic and time "advantage" on the I-215 is limited by three factors: the segment between the I-15 / I-215 "Devore junction" and San Bernardino only has two lanes in each direction (On the other hand, I-15 has four.) It is co-signed with SR 60 between Riverside and Moreno Valley, and it has only two lanes in each direction between Perris and Murrieta.

I-215 is also used by local residents as the major north-south route for the eastern 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.)

The I-215 is named the Escondido Freeway from its southern terminus in Murrieta to SR 60 in Moreno Valley. Between the SR 60/SR 91 interchange in Riverside to Interstate 10 in San Bernardino, the freeway is known as the Riverside Freeway. From that point to its northern terminus, I-215 is named the Barstow Freeway.

On January 24, 1957, the State Highway Commission defined the Escondido Freeway as what is now Routes 15 and 215 from Route 805 to Route 91. Note that this entire segment was previously Route 395 when it was named. Since then, the definition was extended on Route 15 south to Route 8 by Assembly Concurrent Resolution 34, Chapter 67 in 1979. [cite book | url=http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tsip/hseb/products/Named_Freeways.pdf | title=2007 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California | publisher=Caltrans | pages=60 | accessdate=2007-03-28] Meanwhile, the segment of Route 15 from the San Diego County Line to the I-15/I-215 interchange was named the Temecula Valley Freeway in 1990. [Ib. at 63 ]

History and Current Upgrades

The highway (not an Interstate) that is currently Interstate 215 first opened in 1963 as part of U.S. Route 395. This segment of US 395 was renumbered in 1972 as Interstate 15E. Next in 1982, this route was renumbered as I-215 north of SR 60, and as State Route 215 south of State Route 60. Once State Route 215 was upgraded by construction to Interstate Highway standards, it became part of I-215 in 1994. The "mileposts" in Riverside County reflect this, since they do not go to zero at the Interstate-15 interchange in Murrieta.

The shared segment with SR 60 is undergoing significant reconstruction and widening, including a complete reconstruction of the I-215/SR 60/SR 91 interchange in downtown Riverside, and also the addition of truck lanes and a truck interchange at the I-215/SR 60 split near Moreno Valley. Most recently, a joint project between Caltrans and "SANBAG" of San Bernardino County broke ground to widen the I-215 freeway from Highland Road all the way to Interstate 10 interchange, including the rebuilding of all but one bridge (Rialto Ave.) over the freeway. Although this new project is being done largely during the night, it is expected to be completed in the year 2011. [ [http://www.sanbag.ca.gov/projects/mi_fwy_215-sb.html SANBAG: Measure I Freeway Projects ] ]

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 California-60 continues east-and-west through this interchange, and SR 91 coninues south (and formerly to the north, the number having now been removed), 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.

Exit list

:"Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column."

References

External links

* [http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist8/projects/riverside/6091215/index.htm The 60/91/215 Freeway Improvement Project]