Can High Tech Solutions Solve I-15's Traffic Woes Through Temecula?

TEMECULA, CA—Drivers who make the daily trek on Interstate 15 through Temecula and Murrieta may not have to deal with perpetual traffic jams in the future. In addition to freeway improvements along the I-15 and I-215 corridor, the Riverside County Transportation Commission will soon test a high-tech solution that uses smart technology to improve freeway traffic jams.

The new tech is based on how many people are using the roadway at any given time of day, according to a report by ABC7.com. By dynamically controlling the flow of traffic onto the freeway, the commission expects that time spent at a complete stop or crawl on the I-15 could be a thing of the past.

The commission suggests that the severe traffic congestion on the northbound I-15 from the county line to the I-15/215 interchange is caused by a high volume of cars flowing onto the freeway all at once. It worsens during peak afternoon and evening hours, as Temecula drivers are aware. If all goes according to plan, the project's results will be commuter time savings, fuel efficiency, and fewer collisions for commuters. A smart freeway is a long-term solution without the need to add more freeway lanes.

RCTC Deputy Executive Director Aaron Hake says the I-15 is the perfect place for this test. This stretch of freeway is almost always at a standstill during peak traffic hours due to the large influx of cars from the on-ramps at Temecula Parkway, Rancho California, and Winchester roads.

How Will a Smart Freeway Work?

The same tech that drives smartphone apps can also alert drivers when they can safely use the wide shoulder to circumvent problems in the road ahead, Hake told reporters. Most importantly, it can also change the rate that vehicles are allowed to join freeway and the speed they should be driving once they join the flow of traffic.

The project is expected to cost $25 million, according to the RCTC website. This is considered "low cost" because the program is compatible with Caltrans ramp metering already in use.

The system will go online this spring during the testing period and remain for two years of testing.

"You'll see changes to the freeway on-ramp lights or a variable speed on a Freeway speed limit sign to help people slow down, which should keep traffic moving," Hake told ABC7.

If The On-Ramps Are Stalled, What Happens To City Traffic?

Drivers in Temecula are used to seeing traffic jams on city streets when the freeways are at a standstill. The goal is that the changes will ultimately result in time savings for freeway drivers.

It is unclear if the new project will congest city streets at locations like Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road, and Winchester, all with active on-ramps. That information will also be part of the ongoing test.

This is not the first foray into dynamically driven speed limits and stop lights. Smart Freeway technology is already in place in Melbourne, Australia, and in the United States, Denver is currently testing a similar program.

According to the commission's website, "construction, including installing the 'smart' technology, coordinating the on-ramp signal timing, and placing roadside informational signs, is expected to begin in spring 2024 and should take about a year. "Operations may start in 2025 and will continue as a pilot project for two years.

During the pilot period, RCTC and Caltrans will evaluate the project to determine how traffic responds to the "smart" technology driving speed limits and widening lanes.

According to the project heads, once they determine the effect of traffic congestion in the busy area, they will decide whether this problem can be solved through statewide freeway improvements.

Construction on the Smart Freeway is expected to start in spring 2024.

If you want to learn more about the project, visit the RCTC website or attend an open house at 5:30 p.m. on March 14 at the Temecula City Hall Conference Center.