Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez broke ground on the third and fourth phases of the I-215 Widening Project in San Bernardino earlier this week. It is the nation's largest American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-funded highway project to begin construction to date.
"Projects like this are evidence that strengthening the economy begins with investment in our local communities," said Mendez. "Improving major routes like the I-215 will ease local traffic congestion, put thousands of people in southern California back to work and pave the way toward economic prosperity."
The I-215 project is one of only six ARRA highway initiatives in the nation currently valued at more than $100 million.
The third and fourth phases of the project are estimated to cost $583 million. Phase 3 is supported by $128 million in ARRA funding. Construction began on the project's first two phases in 2007 and included bridge replacement and road widening along the southern end of the corridor in downtown San Bernardino.
When completed in 2013, all four phases of the $800 million project will help revitalize one of America's most economically distressed communities. It will also greatly ease congestion along a route expected to grow from an estimated 83,000 drivers daily to 130,000 in the next 20 years.
Of the $26.6 billion in ARRA funds available nationwide for highways, more than 7,000 projects worth more than $18 billion have been obligated. California has obligated $2 billion--or 79%--of its $2.6 billion share of the funding available for highways and bridge construction.
Mendez joined Caltrans Director Randell Iwasaki, San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris, and San Bernardino Area Council of Governments President Paul Eaton at the groundbreaking.
