The long-awaited “smart freeway” project that aims to ease traffic in Temecula, is finally a reality.
The major traffic-relief effort uses sensors and ramp meters at three 15 Freeway on-ramps in hopes of improving the commutes of thousands of drivers, Riverside County Transportation Commission officials said.
The “smart freeway” is one way transportation officials hope to ease congestion in the heavy commuter area of southwest Riverside County. Other recent efforts include adding new lanes along the northbound 15 Freeway from Temecula’s Winchester Road to the area near the split of the 15 and 215 freeways.
The meter technology at the Winchester Road freeway on-ramp became active Friday afternoon, May 29.
The first-of-its-kind “smart freeway,” a pilot project, will run for two years as officials study its effectiveness in alleviating traffic congestion.
The hope is to “help shape future freeway operations projects throughout Riverside County and the state,” a news release states. Replicating the system on other highways is the goal.
This project covers an 8-mile stretch of the northbound15 Freeway, between the Riverside/San Diego County line in Temecula and the 15-215 freeways interchange in Murrieta.
Crews extended lanes to the northbound freeway on-ramps at Winchester Road, Rancho California Road and Temecula Parkway to help vehicles enter the freeway more smoothly and prevent congestion on streets during peak hours.
Rancho Calfornia Road’s meters will be on by early next week — Monday or Tuesday — officials said, and Temecula Parkway’s will be on by the weekend of Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31.
The full “smart” system should be fully operational by the end of next week, transportation commission Director David Knudsen said Friday, but drivers will see parts of the system running throughout the week.
Once all three on-ramps are on and coordinating, Knudsen said, that’s when officials will start measuring the program’s effectiveness.
Construction began in early 2025.
As the first in California, the system will use advanced technology to improve traffic flow, reduce stop-and-go conditions and provide better travel times for drivers, the release states.
Information from sensors will be used to coordinate timing on ramp meters at these three freeway entrances.
Ramp meters will adapt in real-time to manage traffic flow during peak hours.
Digital message signs will show the recommended driving speeds to optimize traffic flow, officials said. During the pilot period, drivers may have a slightly longer wait to entering the freeway, but overall freeway travel times should improve.
A public dashboard will be available by year’s end to share updates and performance metrics, officials said. If the project proves to be working, it “may be considered in other parts of Riverside County and beyond,” the release states.
The “smart freeway” project was a $33 million investment, paid for through federal, state and local sources. A federal money allotment of $27 million came in addition to $1 million from California and $5 million secured through congressional funding by Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona.
Elected and transportation officials gathered at Temecula City Hall on Friday, to celebrate the project’s launch and the partnership between the city, the commission and Caltrans.
Temecula Mayor Pro Tem Matt Rahn called the project “one important piece” of a longtime effort to improve roads and traffic in the southwest region.
“By combining advanced traffic management systems with ongoing improvements along the 15, we are taking real steps toward improving flow, reducing congestion and making the corridor safer and more reliable,” Rahn wrote on Instagram.
Murrieta resident Mo Hussein said adding more lanes on the highway would be more beneficial to drivers. He works in Escondido, making the 15 Freeway a part of his daily commute.
Hussein said he’s “glad” something’s happening to hopefully ease traffic, but asked, “Why aren’t we adding more lanes? Extend it from Escondido to Temecula, extend the (FasTrak) express lanes to Corona, might as well keep on going. My concern is … the fact that we’ve spent so much money on these projects, but (traffic is so bad that) it’s almost unnoticeable … at least when it comes to the infrastructure.”
Hussein added that new freeway technology is “better than nothing.”
Commission Chair Raymond Gregory praised the project in a news release.
“Building our way out of traffic congestion is not an option,” Gregory’s said. “In today’s environment of rapid growth, we must look at how we can combine technology with existing infrastructure to improve the driving experience. The Smart Freeway Pilot Project is an example of finding a lower-cost solution that will help improve traffic flow without the addition of new lanes.”