It's no surprise that more people are on the roads during rush hours these days, but new information from the Census tells us where they're coming from and where they're going.

SANDAG is using this information to support its plans for developing and implementing comprehensive transportation, land use, housing, and economic development activities within our region and between San Diego and Riverside Counties especially along Interstate 15.

The information from the Census Bureau shows that nearly 19,000 commuters head south from Riverside County to their jobs in San Diego County up from approximately 7,000 in 1990, but that's only part of the story.

Since the Census was taken in 2000, the number of commuters along I-15 continues to increase. A recent survey shows that more than 29,000 residents of Riverside County commute to San Diego County for work. Nearly 42 percent of those commuters travel to jobs in North San Diego County.

To address the cause of congestion and to accommodate future traffic on the roads, SANDAG, Caltrans, and other agencies from the Riverside and San Diego regions are focusing a number of efforts along I-15.

Construction soon will begin on the first phase of a 20-mile managed lanes facility in the middle of I-15 between State Route 163 and State Route 78. This $745 million "freeway within a freeway" features a four-lane high occupancy vehicle facility with a movable barrier to reverse the lanes for south and northbound traffic, multiple access points, and ramps for the Bus Rapid Transit vehicles or "trolleys on wheels," carpools, and vanpools.

The Census Bureau will release more detailed information about commute patterns within the San Diego region this summer.

SANDAG is the state-designated Regional Census Data Center for the San Diego region. SANDAG maintains a host of Census and other population and demographic information by city, community, census tract, and other geographic areas in the San Diego region.

Project manager: Jeff Martin
(619) 595-5358