By Ana Gomez Salcido 

Four miles of carpool lanes on Interstate 805 (I-805) and a Direct Access Ramp at Carroll Canyon Road are set to open in the Golden Triangle Are in about a week.

Sandag, Caltrans and local officials held a ceremony celebrating the opening, this Thursday, June 16.

The $119 million project consists of one carpool lane in each direction between State Route 52 and Mira Mesa Boulevard and south facing direct access ramp at Carroll Canyon Road.

The direct access ramp will enhance traffic flow by allowing vanpools, carpools, permitted clean air vehicles, and motorcycles to directly enter and exit the carpool lanes without having to work their way through general-purpose lanes.

“This project is another example of the San Diego region successfully leveraging local TransNet tax dollars to accelerate the completion of critical infrastructure projects,” said Sandag Chair and County Supervisor Ron Roberts. “Without TransNet, our locally controlled taxpayer dollars specifically set aside for transportation, we would not have been able to make these improvements, which will benefit tens of thousands of commuters who use this corridor every day.”

Over the past three decades, TransNet has delivered more than 650 highway, transit, bike and pedestrian, local street, habitat conservation, and grant projects and programs.

“The importance of the new carpool lanes and Direct Access Ramp is that this is the biggest work zone in San Diego,” said Sandag Executive Director, Gary Gallegos. “It will give more options for workers, and with carpooling there will be less impact on the road in the mornings and the afternoons.”