Interstate 215

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Interstate 215 travels south of Clinton Keith Road through Murrieta along a gradual descent toward Temecula. Booming growth led to expansion of the four-lane freeway south of Perris to six lanes in 2011-13. Photo taken 03/31/08.

Interstate 215 comprises a lengthy freeway loop east from I-15 between Temecula and Devore via Perris, Sun City, Riverside and San Bernardino. The section of Interstate 215 between I-15 and SR 60 was upgraded to Interstate standards in the late 1980s/early 1990s; for a time prior to this upgrade, the route was signed as California 215 southbound and to I-215 northbound. A succeeding project from February 2004 to 2009 reconstructed of the interchange joining I-215, SR 60 and SR 91 at Riverside. The upgrade added direct connect flyover ramps between the two freeways, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the SR 60/I-215 shared alignment, and a truck bypass at the exchange.

The Interstate 215 Widening Project expanded the freeway north from I-10 to University Parkway through San Bernardino to four plus one HOV lane in each direction. Underway from January 2007 to 2013, construction eliminated left exits and added missing movements at the exchange joining I-215 with the Foothill Freeway (SR 210).

Interstate 215 California Guides

Interstate 215 is generally known by its number, but it also has specific names:

  • Murrieta to Riverside (Exits 1 through 29) - Escondido Freeway
  • Overlap with California 60 (Exits 29 to 34) - Escondido Freeway and Moreno Valley Freeway
  • Riverside to Interstate 10 (Exits 34 to 40) - Riverside Freeway
  • Interstate 10 to SR 210/SR 259 (Exits 40 to 45-46) - San Bernardino Freeway
  • SR 210/SR 259 to Interstate 15 (Exits 45-46 to Exit 54) - Barstow Freeway

Interstate 215 was preceded by U.S. 395 in its entirety. North of the interchange with California 91, it was designated as U.S. 91-395. North of the exchange with California 66 (old U.S. 66), the freeway was designated as U.S. 66-91-395. The overlap with California 60 between Riverside and Moreno Valley was previously U.S. 60. U.S. 91 was truncated north from California in 1964, and the U.S. 66 and U.S. 395 designations were removed from Interstate 215 by 1972. U.S. 60 was downgraded to California 60 legislatively in 1964, and signs were changed by 1970.

Interstate 215 was established as an Interstate Highway in 1982, replacing former Interstate 15E. The section north of Riverside was immediately signed as I-215, and the section south of California 60 was numbered as California 215. The last at-grade intersection on the California 215 expressway was bridged in 1994, bring the route up to Interstate standards. I-215 was subsequently listed as complete and fully signed.

Previous routes numbering along the I-215 freeway prior to 1982:

  • 1963 - construction of freeway through San Bernardino; signed as U.S. 395 and Interstate 15
  • 1972 - Interstate 15 rerouted onto current alignment; Interstate 15E created and U.S. 395 decommissioned
  • 1982 - Interstate 215 and California 215 established and Interstate 15E (unmarked California 194) decommissioned
  • 1994 - Interstate 215 meets Interstate standards; California 215 section re-designated as Interstate 215

Statewide Opening Dates of Interstate 215:

  • Murrieta Hot Springs to Keller Road - May 18th, 1979
  • Keller Road to McCall Blvd - July 16th, 1979
  • McCall Blvd to Ethanac Road - January 30th, 1967
  • Ethanac Road to California 74E - Circa 1962
  • California 74E to D Street - Circa 1953
  • D Street to Oleander Avenue - August 29th, 1994
  • Oleander Avenue to California 60 - January 14, 1994
  • California 60 to Canyon Crest Drive - January 28th, 1966
  • Canyon Crest Drive to California 91/60 - Circa 1961
  • California 91/60 to Interstate 10 - Circa 1959
  • Interstate 10 to Mill Street - Circa 1958
  • Mill Street to California 66 - Circa 1957
  • California 66 to Mount Vernon Avenue - Circa 1957
  • Mount Vernon Avenue to Interstate 15 - Circa 1958
Interstate 215 scenes
Removed by 2007, this button copy sign stood at the gore point for the northbound on-ramp to I-215 from Washington Street in the city of Colton. A new reflective sign was erected here by 2011. 11/12/00
Cactus Avenue joins industrial areas north of March Air Reserve Base with Interstate 215 on the west side of Moreno Valley. 02/20/05
Freeway entrance shield at the parclo interchange (Exit 50) joining Palm Avenue with Interstate 215 in northwest San Bernardino. 05/17/05
Columbia Avenue over crossing sign posted between the southbound roadway for I-215 and adjacent La Cadena Drive in Riverside. 06/24/07
Interstate 215 leads northeast along the Riverside Freeway from the Columbia Avenue overpass. 06/24/07
Looking south from Columbia Avenue at then-construction underway for the mainline flyover that carries Interstate 215 south through the systems interchange with SR 60 and SR 91. 06/24/07



Photo Credits:

11/12/00, 02/20/05, 05/17/05, 06/24/07 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 10
Interstate 15

Page Updated 01-17-2011.

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