CAJON PASS | Devore project close to complete

By Steve Hunt Posted Dec. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM 

http://www.vvdailypress.com/article/20151226/NEWS/151229843

One of the few good things about the record drought we've been in is it actually may have helped speed the completion of the Devore Interchange Project on Interstates 15 and 215 in the Cajon Pass.

Since we hardly had any rain over the past couple of years, there weren't many days that workers were unable to do their jobs. As a result, this massive project is ahead of schedule.

According to Caltrans Public Information Officer Tyeisha Prunty, the Devore project is expected to be completed by late spring. So far, El Nino hasn't caused any construction delays, Prunty said.

If El Nino hits us with all its fury, that's likely to change, of course. Prunty said construction usually isn't halted by light rain, though sometimes it is switched to work that can be done on the shoulders of the roadway. But when the weather turns sour it creates safety hazards that require workers to pack up.

Prunty said the $324 million Devore project is expected to come in either at or below budget.

That probably can be attributed to the project being a so-called design-build project. Prunty said the work has gone pretty much as expected, and she cited the following for ensuring a successful project: "Teamwork, proper planning, preparing an appropriate Design Build contract, assessing and managing project risks on a continuous basis and appropriate staffing that were trained to administer and manage this type of project."

When it's all finished, Cajon Pass commuters will find instant relief for what had been one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the nation, frequently causing five miles of backup from the Devore curve. There will be an additional lane available in each direction on Interstate 15, as well as two miles of truck bypass lanes in each direction.

It should be able to handle the estimated 1 million cars and trucks that use the interchange every week. Right now, Caltrans estimates 140,000 to 160,000 vehicles use the interchange each day. The scary thing is Caltrans expects traffic to more than double by 2040, to 379,000 vehicles per day — that's 2.6 million per week.