Local dignitaries and city officials met with the general public on the corner of Baseline St. and the 210 freeway to share the news of lane additions and expansion of the Baseline St. Bridge.
With local traffic passing in the background and the Jacob Engineering Group construction crew working just west of the event, speaker Dawn Rowe shared the multi-city excitement about finally getting the project moving.
The event kicked off with a singing of the National Anthem from high school student Lilian Nell Diaz, followed by a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance from all in attendance.
“We’re going to finally widen the freeway through this area,” expressed Mayor Larry McCallon for the City of Highland, who said he was reminded by a local resident attending the event that “in the late 60’s, there were orange groves, and Baseline ended and continued with a dirt road. So you can see how in only a few years how much things have changed, and they need to change more because this now is one of our busiest intersections.”
A brief statement was shared with the crowd by Mayor McCallon, Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe, SBCTA Board President and Mayor of Grand Terrace Darci McNaboe and Council Member Theodore Sanchez from the City of San Bernardino, prior to performing the ceremonial dirt turning.
“This project is really a combination of three projects rolled into one,” explained Rowe. “In an effort to minimize the overall impacts on the community and commuters. One of those elements adds a lane to the State Route 210 between San Bernardino and Redlands. In addition, Caltrans is capitalizing on new resources to rehabilitate the existing lanes for a longer life of the pavement, and a better right quality for drivers. And for our friends in Highland, this is also an interchange improvement project that will enhance the Baseline interchange to meet the needs of a growing community.”
Mayor McCallon shared how “widening the bridge and widening the freeway will bring more economic opportunities into this region and reduce some of the congestion on the 210 freeway.”
McCallon seized the opportunity to share the estimated time to complete the project, to also ask the 210 commuters and surrounding community that will be affected by the construction project to be patient with all involved until its completion.
“It will be about three and a half years, so during that time we’ll have a little more congestion and we’ll have to be patient because construction is going on, and we don’t want to get anybody hurt,” said McCallon.
Across the freeway at site already in construction, Rafael Sanchez described the phases that would be taking place and had begun on that morning.
“We are going to start with the widening of the Baseline bridge first, and once we got the widening of the bridge, then we are going to widen the ramps, then some retaining walls, draining system and the landscape,” Sanchez explained.
While back under the tent, Rowe shared the benefits of Measure I to help fund the project. “In San Bernardino County, you the voters have a foresight to pass Measure I, a half-cent sales tax that puts transportation dollars from our community right back into our community.”
Prior to ending with the dirt turning ceremony, Rowe thanked the gentlemen from Public Safety that were there in uniform for also participating in the ground-breaking ceremony.
“As the area grows, we need to start thinking and planning for widening it again, all the way from the county line to the 210. When we get to the widening it again, it will eventually be HOV lanes or toll lanes,” said McCallon.
Direct Quotes:
“Projects like this one improve the way that we get to our destinations during our day. For many that is as simple as just being able to get home a few minutes sooner to spend time with our family. For some it could mean less frustration getting to and from work, or how we can safely get our kids to school” (Dawn Rowe, Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino).
“Construction can be a challenge before we see the benefit.” (Dawn Rowe, Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino).
“This project is really a combination of three projects rolled into one in an effort to minimize the overall impacts on the community and commuters. One of those elements adds a lane to the State Route 210 between San Bernardino and Redlands. In addition, Caltrans is capitalizing on new resources to rehabilitate the existing lanes for a longer life of the pavement, and a better right quality for drivers. And for our friends in Highland, this is also an interchange improvement project that will enhance the Baseline interchange to meet the needs of a growing community.” (Dawn Rowe, Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino).
“In San Bernardino County, you the voters have a foresight to pass Measure I, a half-cent sales tax that puts transportation dollars from our community right back into our community” (Dawn Rowe, Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino).
“We are going to start with the widening of the [Baseline] bridge first, and once we got the widening of the bridge, then we are going to widen the ramps, then some retaining walls, draining system and the landscape” (Rafael Sanchez, Jobsite Inspector for Jacob Engineering Group (Project Manager for San Bernardino County Transportation)).
“We’re going to finally widen the freeway through this area” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“In the late 60’s, this right over here was orange groves still (pointing to the area where the construction crew was working on the west side of the 210 freeway), and Baseline ended right here and continued with a dirt road. So you can see how in only a few years how much things have changed, and they need to change more because this now is one of our busiest intersections” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“By widening the bridge and widening the freeway it will bring more economic opportunities into this region and reduce some of the congestion on the 210 freeway” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“We’re excited about it and we are looking forward to having it completed, and it will bring a great boom to everyone in this region” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“There will be one lane added on each side of the 210 all the way from Highland Ave. and down to the 210” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“We’re going to add two lanes to the [Baseline] bridge here… one on each side” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“As the area grows, we need to start thinking and planning for widening it again, all the way from the county line to the 210. When we get to the widening it again, it will eventually be HOV lanes or toll lanes” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
“It will be about 3-1/2 years, so during that time we’ll have a little more congestion and we’ll have to be patient because construction is going on, and we don’t want to get anybody hurt” (Larry McCallon, Mayor for the City of Highland, CA).
Dawn Rowe, Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino
National Anthem sang by Lilian Nell Diaz, a 10 grade student from Entrepreneur High School in Highland, CA
In attendance were Dawn Rowe, the Third District Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino, Mayor John Dutrey from the City of Montclair, Mayor David Avila from the City of Yucaipa, Mayor Larry McCallon from the City of Highland, Mayor Pro Tem Penny Lilburn from the City of Highland, Council Member Theodore Sanchez from the City of San Bernardino, SBCTA Board President and Mayor of Grand Terrace Darci McNaboe, Deputy District Director for Caltrans 8th Rebecca Guirado, representatives from the Office of Congressman Pete Aguilar, Senator Mike Moral and Assemblyman James Ramos.
State Route 210 Lane Addition & Base Line Interchange Project Groundbreaking
February 4, 2020
Join us for the SR 210 Lane Addition & Base Line Interchange Project GROUNDBREAKING. On Wednesday February 26 at 10:00am at 27727 Base Line Street, Highland, CA 92346 (empty lot next to ARCO) Parking available on Pluto Street.
For questions, please call 877-55-SBCTA
or email info@gosbcta.com
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