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Quarterly transportation Each quarter, SANDAG issues a transportation progress report to its Board of Directors to keep the members apprised of the many projects underway in the region. By leveraging state, federal, and local TransNet dollars, SANDAG funds transportation improvements and services designed to give commuters more choices and reduce growing traffic congestion. Highway Projects A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in March for the completion of two I-15 Express Lanes projects, allowing travelers to use the facilities from Lake Hodges in Escondido to SR 56. Express Lane users also may get on and off at two new direct access ramps at Rancho Bernardo and Del Lago in Escondido. This work is the initial phase of major improvements along the $1.3 billion TransNet-funded I-15 corridor. Two additional segments currently under construction will convert the existing reversible lanes between SR 56 and SR 163 to four Express Lanes in San Diego and add four new Express Lanes between SR 78 and Lake Hodges. These two latter projects will be completed by 2012 and 2011, respectively. Work to complete the SR 52 widening between Santo Road and Mast Boulevard continues. This TransNet-funded project will add one more through lane in each direction between San Diego and Santee to the existing two lanes, and is scheduled to be open to users by July 2009. Caltrans will advertise the construction contract for the SR 76 widening between Melrose Drive and Mission Road project. This project, which is funded by TransNet and federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) monies, will widen the highway to two lanes in each direction between Oceanside and Bonsall and is scheduled to open to users in 2012. The work to complete the environmental document for SR 76 between Mission Road and I-15 also is continuing. This effort is scheduled to finish in spring 2010. Federal AARA funds also are allowing Caltrans to move forward with the I-805 widening project in Chula Vista, which will add two auxiliary lanes between the interchanges to improve southbound traffic flow as well as the merge of traffic from the SR 54 connector ramps to I-805. This project is scheduled to open to users by summer 2010. Transit and Bikeway Projects The Del Lago and Rancho Bernardo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Stations opened to users in March 2009 as part of this TransNet-funded project. A transfer station is located at the Del Lago station for the approximately 300 users between Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Route 20 and North County Transit District (NCTD) Route 350. A future BRT service is planned for this station. The Rancho Bernardo station hosts MTS Routes 810, 880, 20, and 844). Additional BRT service and a parking structure offering between 300-500 spaces are planned for 2012. The Salt Works Phase of the Bayshore Bikeway project opened to users in April 2009. This 1.1-mile segment begins at 13th Street on the border between Imperial Beach and San Diego and runs through the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The new segment in the City of San Diego features two bridges and beautiful views of the Bay and the Refuge. Plans call for the Bayshore Bikeway to eventually stretch 24 miles all the way around San Diego Bay. Traffic and Demand Management The Freeway Service Patrol assisted approximately 12,360 motorists, about 7 percent fewer than last quarter. The vanpool participation rate increased from 642 vanpools to 655 vanpools. Average ridership per vanpool was approximately 8.2 passengers, with 5,347 daily passengers participating in the program. The 511 call system received 176,400 calls, raising the cumulative call volume to just under 1.5 million calls. Call volumes averaged about 2,000 per day. Roadside Assistance calls rose by 25 percent from last quarter. Compass Card calls nearly doubled from the previous quarter, with the Compass Card Web site averaging approximately 890 daily page views. Project Manager Jose Nuncio, Senior Transportation Engineer
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