| Description |
New 12.5-mile highway alignment from SR 905 near the International Border to SR 54 near Sweetwater Reservoir. South Bay Expressway connects the only commercial port of entry in San Diego to the regional freeway network. This project, made possible through an innovative public-private partnership, will complete the missing link in San Diego's third north-south freeway corridor.
This highway segment directly connects Otay Mesa, the largest area of industrial zoned land remaining in San Diego County , with Eastern Chula Vista , including six new communities: Lomas Verdes, The Otay Ranch, Rolling Hills Ranch, Rancho San Miguel, Sunbow and Eastlake. South Bay Expressway will drastically reduce commute times for those traveling between these two areas, and provide convenient access to Downtown, Sorrento Valley, Santee, I-8 and I-15, Mexico and more. The southern 9.5-mile section of South Bay Expressway is being constructed as a privately financed and operated toll road and will use FasTrak, an electronic toll collection system. The toll road is being developed under California 's AB 680 legislation passed in 1989. A limited partnership, San Diego Expressway, LP, holds a franchise with the State of California under which it finances and builds the highway, then transfers ownership to the State. The limited partnership then leases back, operates and maintains the facility for 35 years. At the end of that time, control goes back to the State at no cost.
The northern 3.2-mile portion of South Bay Expressway, including the interchange with SR 54, will cost approximately $138 million and is publicly financed with a mix of federal (FHWA) and local sales tax funds (San Diego Association of Governments). Once opened, this segment will operate as a freeway.
Both the private and publicly funded portions will be built by the same contractor under two design-build contracts. California Transportation Ventures, Inc. (CTV), the general partner, manages the project and will administer the contracts. Washington Group International is the selected contractor with a joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc and J. Muller International as the design subcontractor.
Initial construction of the 12.5-mile highway included grading for the ultimate facility of eight lanes on the northern half of the project and six lanes on the southern half. A wide median will run the full length of the project to allow for future carpool lanes or transit. Initial construction will allow for two lanes of travel in each direction. Additional lanes and structures will be added as traffic increases. |
