After over a year of construction, the State Route 15 (SR 15) Commuter Bikeway is expected to be open in mid-2017.
The SR 15 Commuter Bikeway will provide a safe and direct bike route connecting the communities in the Mid-City area of the City of San Diego with the major retail, commercial, education, and entertainment destinations in the city’s Mission Valley area. The bikeway, which will be separated from vehicle traffic, will extend from Adams Avenue along a one-mile segment of northbound SR 15 to Camino Del Rio South. The facility will be 12-feet wide, paved, and striped to provide two-way travel. It will be separated from the freeway shoulder by a concrete barrier. There will be locations where wider paved sections will be provided to accommodate resting or passing bike riders. Lighting will be provided along the bikeway.
According to SANDAG, one of the project goals is to increase the safety and mobility of non-motorized commuters. It also has the purpose to increase transportation choices and support a balanced regional transportation system.
Currently, the only two bike routes between Mid-City and Mission Valley are Fairmount Avenue, which has high-speed traffic conflicts, and Texas Street, which has high-speed traffic conflicts and a very steep, sustained grade. Neither route provides a convenient link for bicycle commuters between Mid-City and Mission Valley, and both routes result in several miles of additional travel.
The SR 15 Commuter Bikeway is part of the $200 million Regional Bike Plan Early Action Program approved by the SANDAG Board of Directors in September 2013. It is rated a high priority project in the regional bike network established with the adoption of Riding to 2050, the San Diego Regional Bike Plan. It is incorporated in San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan, which was adopted by the SANDAG Board of Directors in October 2015, and its Sustainable Communities Strategy (2050 RTP/SCS). The project is also included in the City of San Diego Bicycle Master Plan and the Mid-City Communities Plan.
The project received environmental clearance in June 2012. The design was finalized in early 2015, and began construction in March 2016.
The groundbreaking ceremony held last year included local and state officials, as well as members from the community.
The total cost of the project is approximately $14.5 million. The environmental and design phases were funded by the regional TransNet half-cent sales tax for transportation administered by SANDAG. The state and federal Active Transportation Program, as well as TransNet funded construction.