RIVERSIDE -- A construction project that will add a carpool lane in both directions along a 7-1/2 mile stretch of the Interstate 215 between San Bernardino and Riverside has begun, it was reported today.

The new carpool lanes will fill in a gap in carpool lanes that stretch from San Bernardino to Redondo Beach via Interstate 215 and Route 91, or to Newport Beach via Route 55.

The addition of the High-Occupancy Vehicle lane will close the gap between the such lanes being built north of Orange Show Road in San Bernardino and south of the 60/91/215 interchange in Riverside.

The construction is expected to be Advertisement

[ Metalography ] completed by June or July, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.

Interstate 215 currently has three lanes in each direction in the construction zone. Adding the carpool lane will require rebuilding the outside and inside freeway shoulders and re-striping the lanes, according to planners.

Transportation officials originally planned to add both a carpool lane and a regular, general purpose lane in each direction to this section of the 215, which runs through San Bernardino, Colton, Grand Terrace and Riverside. But planners decided to downsize the project to one carpool lane in each direction in order to save costs and allow the project to advance quickly, the agency reported.