The SR-91 Corridor Improvement project was recently awarded the Quality of Life/Community Development Award by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) Western Region. The honor, presented in the >$200 million value project category, was announced at the 11th annual America’s Transportation Awards competition.
State Route 91 has a long-standing reputation as one of the nation’s worst commutes. The Riverside County Transportation Commission’s $1.4 billion project extended the 91 Express Lanes to Riverside County from Orange County to provide the first tolling facility in Riverside County. Parsons provided planning, procurement, project design, and construction management services, including assistance obtaining market financing for the agency-led public-private partnership tolled express lane project.
Tolls are collected using an open road tolling system, with each vehicle required to carry a FasTrak transponder. The project also added one new general-purpose lane in both directions for added capacity and a new 15/91 Express Connector and improved six local interchanges. The additional lanes and the electronic tolling have reduced traffic congestion for commuters.