I-10 Cedar Avenue Project expands interchange to 10 lanes and Rialto City Council issues moratorium on truck traffic

Good news for residents in Rialto, Bloomington, Fontana, and travelers visiting these cities as the three municipalities along with San Bernardino County and its transportation authority broke ground on the I-10 Cedar Avenue Interchange Project on January 13. 

The project’s scope of work includes widening Cedar Avenue from six to 10 lanes, along with integrating new bridge railings and sidewalks, replacing Cedar Avenue over the train tracks, and adding additional lanes at the on and off ramps. 

“With 104,000 residents living in Rialto and our region being a hub for the logistics industry, this project is long overdue (almost 10 years in the making). Not only will this project improve our traffic congestion and air quality, but it’ll also greatly elevate our resident’s quality of life in the long run,” said Mayor Deborah Robertson. 

When asked how this project may improve air quality in the future, Robertson said with less idling truck traffic on the interchange, fewer emissions would be discharged, thus elevating the quality of life of residents in the City. 

“Mitigating traffic congestion could also lead to less stress on the roads for our residents and allow people to exit the freeway and arrive at their destinations in an adequate time,” continued Robertson. 

Many dignitaries even suggest that another incentive this project brings to the three municipalities is jobs. 

“It’s a $112 million project, and it’s bringing jobs to our local tradesman to build this bridge over three years. Some of the trades that are going to inevitably benefit include operating engineers, laborers, ironworkers, carpenters, and more to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families,” said Baca. 

At the groundbreaking ceremony, attendees were reminded that the project was initially approved in July 2013, with the final design completed in the summer of 2021, and a start date of late January 2023. 

On January 23, 2023, Robertson shared that in December 2022, a Spectrum News study found that a whopping 88 trucks traveled through the N. Riverside Avenue and Baseline Road intersection in just two hours. 

While this brief quantitative study didn’t quite influence the Rialto City Council’s decision for a moratorium on truck routes, the visibility of trucks traveling through non-commercial areas of the city did. 

“We’re restructuring truck traffic on non-commercial routes. We’re eliminating trucks between Baseline Road and Foothill Boulevard on Pepper Avenue and eliminating trucks from N. Meridian Avenue to Cactus Avenue on Baseline Road. But, if a commercial project arises in those areas, we’ll revisit our 22-month moratorium, which is being affirmed at the council meeting on January 24th,” continued Robertson. 

In the meantime, over the next three years while the project’s construction is booming Robertson and Baca advise the public to please be patient and understand that in the long run, the inconvenience today will be worth it. 

“I advise those in our city and neighboring cities to subscribe to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s mailing list to receive project updates by visiting gosbcta.com/project/i-10-cedar-avenue/ and download the Caltrans app to receive alerts on street and ramp closures,” Robertson said. 

Baca is recommending residents and people traveling through Rialto, Bloomington, and Fontana to start leaving 25 to 30 minutes early to their destinations to ensure timeliness. 

Back at the groundbreaking, Robertson, who recently lost her Cousin Darnell Calhoun, 30, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy to a senseless shooting, thanked all public safety. 

“This project has been on the books for 20-plus years and our public safety has stuck it out responding to incidents at this interchange. We don’t always thank our public safety, but I want to thank them for always navigating through the traffic at the I-10 Cedar Avenue Interchange and providing services to those in need,” concluded Robertson. 

“The I-10 Cedar Avenue Interchange Project Groundbreaking was a great day for the City of Rialto and the City of Bloomington. It’s truly amazing to see that this project is going to relieve congestion, enhance safety, and improve traffic operations along Cedar Avenue. I’m delighted for the residents of Rialto and Bloomington,” shared City of Rialto Commissioner Albert Calderon.