Mid County Parkway
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| Mid County Parkway |
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| Maintained by RCTC | |||||||||||||
| Length: | 32 mi (51 km) | ||||||||||||
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| Formed: | 2010[citation needed] | ||||||||||||
| West end: | .svg/20px-I-15_(CA).svg.png){kind=small} I-15 between Lake Elsinore and Corona |
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| Major junctions: |
.svg/24px-I-215_(CA).svg.png){kind=small} I-215 in Perris |
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| East end: |  SR 79 in San Jacinto |
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| System: | Southern California freeways | ||||||||||||
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The Mid County Parkway is a proposed 32-mile (51 km) roadway that will relieve traffic between the communities of San Jacinto in the east and Corona in the west. This corridor was identified by the Riverside County Integrated Project, a regionwide environmental and transportation planning effort to ensure mobility, protect the environment, and ensure quality of life as the region continues to grow.
Based on today’s projections, traffic between these two cities will increase from 207% to 554% between now and 2035. That means that the Ramona Expressway near San Jacinto will need to carry 58,900 cars a day, up from 19,200 today. Traffic demand on Cajalco Road will jump from 8,300 cars to 54,300 cars a day.
Since 2004, when work began, a lot has been accomplished. Preliminary studies and public input helped define eight alternative alignments. Those alignments formed the basis of continuing studies during 2005 and 2006. The input of scientists, engineers, and the public has led to several changes. Technical review led to a new route to the south of the original alternatives being added. Public input and engineering consideration led to the elimination of a route north of Lake Mathews. Most recently, the issue of dam safety led to removal of a route near Lake Perris.
During the past 18 months, scientists have studied the environmental impacts of the proposals. They have surveyed more than 3,000 parcels, comprising more than 17,000 acres (69 km²), for sensitive species of plants and animals, as well as cultural, geologic, soils, and visual impacts, and effects on water resources.
When the research is finished, the results will be compiled in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/EIR). That study will be complete in the fall of 2007. After that the public and the concerned state and federal agencies will review the document. When all the comments are considered, a final report will be released by the end of 2008. Only after all studies are completed, can a permit be issued for the project and final engineering design begin.
