The I-5 North Coast corridor experiences recurrent traffic congestion during weekday rush hours and also is heavily traveled on weekends. Average daily traffic on I-5 is at 261,000 vehicles (near SR 56) and is projected to increase to 430,000 daily vehicles by the year 2030. Over 10,000 daily truck trips are made on I-5.
This 27-mile project will add highway lanes and operational improvements to provide mobility choices for motorists on I-5 in the northern San Diego region. It has been identified as a high-priority project by SANDAG and is part of the TransNet Early Action Program.
The project area extends from La Jolla Village Drive (I-5) and Mira Mesa Boulevard (I-805) to Vandegrift Boulevard and includes widening this area for new managed/high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes for transit and carpools.
The total costs for operational and additional highway lanes is estimated to be $2.9 billion (2006 dollars). Project costs for the operational improvements are estimated at $56.3 million for extending the northbound HOV lanes from Via de la Valle to Manchester Avenue and $10 million for adding auxiliary lanes and improving the interchange at Lomas Sante Fe Drive. An estimated $2.8 billion is required for the remaining project improvements along the corridor, which include completion of HOV lanes.
Preliminary engineering and environmental work is underway. The overall corridor project is expected to be complete in 2015. A northbound auxiliary lane from Del Mar Heights Road to Via de la Valle was completed in late 2004. The extension of the existing northbound HOV lanes from Via de la Valle to Manchester Avenue and the improvement of the interchange at Lomas Santa Fe are under construction and will be completed by December 2009.
I-5 North Coast Managed Lanes Value Pricing Study
The I-5 North Coast Managed Lanes Value Pricing study examines the feasibility of allowing solo drivers to pay a fee to use the I-5 North Coast Managed Lanes similar to the I-15 Managed Lanes. The study evaluated various pricing options under each of the four “build” alternatives and conducted public outreach for the study. The concept plan and selected pricing strategy for the I-5 North Coast Managed Lanes will be incorporated in the Caltrans Draft EIR. The Value Pricing study is posted below in PDF format.
Project Managers
Richard Chavez, Principal Transportation Engineer
Phone: (619) 699-6989, E-mail: rch@sandag.org
Heather Werdick, Senior Planner
Phone: (619) 699-6967, E-mail: hwe@sandag.org | 
