The newly widened Pepper Avenue interchange at Interstate 10 in Colton is scheduled to open in mid-August. Officials from SBCTA, Caltrans, the County of San Bernardino and City of Colton will gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 15 at 10 AM at the southeast corner of Pepper Avenue and Valley Boulevard. The event is open to the public.
The project reflects SBCTA's "Plan. Build. Move." initiative to enhance mobility throughout San Bernardino County and is the latest interchange to be reconstructed along the heavily used I-10 corridor. Interchanges with Tippecanoe Avenue, Cherry Avenue, Citrus Avenue and Riverside Avenue all have been refurbished since 2011. In fact, Measure I from 2010 to 2026 is expected to have contributed to improvements to more than 30 interchanges throughout the county.
Construction at I-10 and Pepper Avenue began in March 2016 and is being completed on schedule. Features include a new five-lane bridge over Interstate 10, an addition of one lane in both directions from the previous three-lane bridge. Wider on-ramps and off-ramps, drainage improvements and aesthetics will enhance access to and from homes, commercial properties and the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
The project was completed in three stages. The west side of the new bridge opened to motorists in November, and the existing bridge was demolished. New northbound lanes on Pepper Avenue opened in March.
Funding for the $10.6 million project was provided by a combination of federal, state, city and local funds, including Measure I, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation projects in San Bernardino County.