Caltrans Commission Includes I-5 in 14 S.D. County Projects

The California Transportation Commission on Thursday approved 14 highway improvement projects for San Diego County, including one to widen a short stretch of Interstate 5 downtown.

Most of the projects involve only minor improvements, such as landscaping or installation of traffic signals on at the end of freeway off-ramps.

The most expensive of the projects is a $4.88-million proposal to widen an off-ramp and build an extra lane on I-5 from 1st Avenue to just north of the India Street undercrossing, a stretch about four-fifths of a mile long.

Another project on I-5 involves the construction of a new lane from one-tenth of a mile south to two-tenths of a mile north of the Noell Street undercrossing, near Lindbergh Field. The widening is expected to cost $1.15 million.

“These projects are just to take care of the trouble spots,” said Shirley Weber, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation.

Some of the other projects approved Thursday include:

- $2.87 million to realign California 67 and add shoulders and a truck lane south of Ramona near Archie Moore Road.

- $226,000 to lengthen the acceleration lane from Robinson Avenue southbound onto California 163 in Balboa Park.

- $259,000 to groove the pavement on Interstate 805 from California 52 north to the connection with I-5.

- $168,000 to widen California 78 at Palomar Terrace in Escondido. The city will contribute $12,000 to the project.

- $113,000 to install traffic signals and lighting on California 78 at Emerald Drive in Vista. The city is to contribute $173,500 to the project.

The San Diego projects were among 77 approved by the commission at its monthly meeting in Sacramento.