The crossover lanes are history! Well, sort of.
Caltrans removed the southbound crossover lanes from northbound Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass overnight Thursday, leaving the freeway free of them in time for the Friday morning rush that began around 5 a.m.
(Side note: If you haven't ever driven Interstate 15 southbound from Victorville around 5 a.m. on a weekday, it's quite an eye-opener. I had to drive to San Diego for an early event a few years back and we left at 5 a.m. The 15 was jammed with commuters pretty much all the way to Escondido! We got there by 8 a.m., but were sweating it most of the way.)
So finally, for the first time in 10 weeks, Cajon Pass commuters should see more normal traffic patterns and a little less congestion in both directions in the Cajon Pass. That should make things much more pleasant for commuters heading down the hill in the evenings, as well as for weekend travelers.
That said, Caltrans plans one more crossover lane configuration. This two-lane crossover will begin Wednesday on southbound I-15 just south of Ranchero Road in Hesperia. It will be about a mile and a half in length and end just south of Oak Hill Road. Caltrans expects it to be in place for about six weeks. Also during this time, the southbound Oak Hill Road off-ramp will be closed for about a month.
The truck brake check area will be closed beginning Monday through Oct. 30. Caltrans advises truck drivers and other motorists to exit at Highway 395 in Hesperia and use the truck stop to check their brakes. Motorists wishing to patronize businesses on Oak Hill Road will have to use the southbound Ranchero Road off-ramp to do so.
I also notice on the Cajon Pass Rehabilitation Project's Facebook page that Caltrans now says most of that project's work will be completed by February. That's really good news as well, as it appears much of the work on the Devore Interchange Project impacting the 15 and 215 in the Cajon Pass also should be done by the spring.
So there is light at the end of the construction tunnel for Cajon Pass commuters.
I went to an economic conference Thursday morning in Ontario and was amazed that speeds varied between 10 and 35 mph on the 15 in the Cajon Pass for a good portion of the trip. There were no accidents, but lots of drivers were in looky-loo mode as the newly paved right-hand lanes on the southbound 15 were in use and cones were set up to block the two left lanes.
I had almost forgotten what a crapshoot commuting down the hill is during the week!
Economists at the conference reported that 40 percent of all Inland Empire workers commute. Honestly, I thought the figure would be higher. I'm sure here in the High Desert way over 50 percent of working residents commute down the hill.
And which workers do you think make the longest commutes in Southern California, according to the economists?
Topping the list were those who live in Murrietta, closely followed by those who live in Hesperia and Victorville.