Caltrans and its partners, the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), San Joaquin County and the city of Stockton, celebrated another milestone today with the completion of the final portion of the long awaited I-5 Corridor Improvement project. The $194.5 million project was designed to decrease congestion and improve commute times for motorists traveling on I-5 through Stockton.
This final portion of the project added San Joaquin County’s first carpool/bus lanes, auxiliary lanes and new soundwalls. Caltrans reconstructed the existing freeway with continuous long-lasting reinforced concrete from south of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/ Charter Way to Hammer Lane in Stockton.
"This project will encourage commuters to carpool and use transit which will help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "New reinforced concrete along Interstate 5 will also give motorists a smoother and safer ride and is built to last for decades."
The project received approximately $42 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. To date, more than $19 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been distributed statewide. The project also received $47.9 million from SJCOG’s Measure K and $104 million from State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) funds.
"Thank you to the people of Stockton and the region for your patience," said SJCOG Executive Director Andrew Chesley. "The reward is wonderfully improved driving conditions on this—California’s main north/south freeway."