Interstate 805 HOV Lanes (SR 54 to SR 94) Open 3/5/14

[andy3175]

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/05/805-carpool-south-county-chula-vista-national-city/

A five-mile stretch of diamond lane opened up on Interstate 805 in South County on Wednesday, the first in that area of the county and the start of a $1.4 billion makeover of the crowded freeway.

The new northbound car-pool lane runs from state Route 54 in National City to Route 94 in San Diego.

Within the next two weeks, Caltrans expects to open the remainder of what will be an eight-mile carpool corridor, with one lane on each side of the freeway stretching south to East Naples Street in Chula Vista.

The $76 million project will offer commuters a new option for navigating 805's notorious gridlock to and from San Diego job centers.

Longer term, the lanes will be the foundation of an "express lanes"  network similar to the one in North County on Interstate 15. The networks offer access to carpoolers, as well as solo drivers willing to pay a fee.

(Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl) Cox and other state and regional dignitaries dedicated the new carpool lanes during a ceremony in Southeastern San Diego on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, many of the same officials lauded the soon-to-open two-mile carpool corridor on 805 in Sorrento Valley at Carroll Canyon Road.

Speaking at the South County event, Malcolm Dougherty, director of the California Department of Transportation, called Wednesday "a big day for the 805 corridor."  He described the region and state as leaders in building carpool lanes nationally, noting the Golden State has 40 percent of America's carpool lane miles.

Both Cox, who sits on SANDAG's board, and Gallegos said they do not expect the 805 upgrades to stall ridership growth on SANDAG's other very large South County transportation investment, the roughly parallel South Bay Expressway.
SANDAG spent $341 million in late 2011 to assume control of that 10-mile toll road, which went bankrupt in 2010 after attracting only about one-third of the motorists expected by its original private owners. The toll road, on state Route 125, is a few miles east of 805 and connects Otay Mesa to Spring Valley.

Regards,
Andy

[OCGuy81]

Thank you, Andy.  I'm going to have to head down there and check these out.  They've been needed for a long time! That stretch of the 805 is a mess!

[andy3175]

Thank you, Andy.  I'm going to have to head down there and check these out.  They've been needed for a long time! That stretch of the 805 is a mess!

You're welcome. The coverage I saw on TV included some interesting signage for the HOV entrances, including yellow "left" tabs appended on top of a green guide sign with the typical black and white HOV diamond. These lanes are not signed in a manner similar to the I-15 express lanes. However, 805 express lanes are planned for a future phase of the project.  I have not yet seen the new lanes personally.

Regards,
Andy

[sdmichael]

I also noticed the double white instead of double yellow lines. The new (yet to be opened) HOV lanes on I-5 from the 170 to Burbank also have double white lines (with a black line in between). The 110 and 10 HOV lanes also have this setup.

[jrouse]

The 805 HOV lanes will follow the 2012 California MUTCD signing and striping standards, with the "LEFT" tab, the "HOV LANE ENTRANCE" signs, and the double white stripes.

[sdmichael]

I rode the new lanes on I-805 near Mira Mesa Blvd yesterday and thought the setup was a bit odd. The 805 is still only three lanes there instead of four, plus the overhead sign at the 5/805 split seemed to include the HOV lane... so there are some pending changes I hope.

[jrouse]

I rode the new lanes on I-805 near Mira Mesa Blvd yesterday and thought the setup was a bit odd. The 805 is still only three lanes there instead of four, plus the overhead sign at the 5/805 split seemed to include the HOV lane... so there are some pending changes I hope.

The new HOV lanes are south of 94.  There are 2 projects under way to add HOV lanes on the northern end of I-805 between State Route 52 and I-5.  The northernmost project, between Carroll Canyon and I-5, will be finished later this year, and the project covering Carroll Canyon south to State Route 52 will be completed by 2016.   A project will then begin to add a second HOV lane in each direction and turn both lanes into HOT lanes.  The news article refers to the conversion to HOT lanes but SANDAG's I-805 project website, interestingly, does not: http://keepsandiegomoving.com/I-805-Corridor/I-805-intro.aspx

[sdmichael]

I am aware... however the NEW lanes on I-805 from I-5 south to Carrol Canyon are striped and open both directions. I rode my motorcycle over them yesterday afternoon.

[ARMOURERERIC]

From what I read, a project is coming up that will add hov/hot lanes to 94 from 805 into downtown with flyover direct connectors at the 805 to and from the south. It is planned to be done  by 2020

[Henry]

This is a really cool thing to see! I'll have to take a look at them the next time I'm in San Diego.

[jrouse]

I am aware... however the NEW lanes on I-805 from I-5 south to Carrol Canyon are striped and open both directions. I rode my motorcycle over them yesterday afternoon.

My apologies for misunderstanding your comment.

[sdmichael]

The new Carroll Canyon Road bridge and HOV direct connect ramp are now open. I used them on Saturday evening.