Since 1987, Bechtel has been working alongside the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) in Southern California to deliver over $4 billion in critical multi-modal transportation infrastructure to support the county’s rapid population growth, reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and connect communities.
Over the last 35 years, Bechtel has delivered 21 highway projects, 18 interchanges, viaducts, bridges, and a 24-mile (39 kilometer) commuter rail line with four stations.
Integrated team solution
Bechtel works in a fully integrated, co-located team with RCTC to support its project delivery, which is funded in part by a voter-approved half-cent sales tax measure. We are currently supporting $1.5 billion of work, comprising 17 highway and seven rail projects. Of these, seven projects are in the construction phase, nine in the environmental approval phase, five projects in design, and three projects in the inception/scoping phase.
Bechtel provides program management services, construction management, engineering management, planning and environmental oversight, risk management, and document control. Example of current or recently completed projects are:
Route 60 Truck Lanes Project:
- $113 million investment to improve safety and reduce congestion.
- In partnership with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), widening a 4.5-mile segment between Gilman Springs Road to 1.4 miles west of the Jack Rabbit Trail through a mountainous terrain and steep grades known as the Badlands area.
- Project adds an eastbound truck climbing lane, a westbound descending lane, widens the shoulders and establishes two wildlife crossings.
Riverside County Metrolink Station Improvements:
- RCTC owns and operates the nine Metrolink commuter rail stations in Riverside County.
- The $33 million Moreno Valley/March Field Station is adding capacity by adding a second platform and upgrading 2.7 miles of track that will be part of the future nine-mile double-track corridor to the south of the station.
- Building two additional passenger loading platforms at the Riverside-Downtown Station.
Interstate 15 Express Lanes Project:
- $471 million investment to improve Interstate 15 between Cajalco Road and State Route 60 was completed in 2021.
- Project spanned 15 miles and added two express toll lanes in both directions.
- Work included the widening of 11 bridges and construction of sound of walls along the route. This project provides multiple entry and exit points within the 15-miles of Express Lanes and extends Riverside County’s express lane network to provide a faster, more reliable commute.
- 3,300 jobs created.
Interstate 10 Highland Springs Avenue Interchange Project:
- At RCTC’s request, Bechtel developed the Project Study Report - Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) for the I-10 Highland Springs Avenue Interchange Project, initiating the first step in the development of a project with Caltrans.
- A highly congested throughfare, the Highland Springs Avenue interchange borders the cities of Banning and Beaumont. The PSR-PDS identified alternative designs to reconfigure traffic lanes through the underpass without requiring the reconstruction of the I-10 bridge to improve traffic flow and safety.
- One of the two proposed alternatives is to a build a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). This interchange design would guide the motorists to the left side of the road through the interchange area in order to reduce the points of interaction with pedestrians and cyclists and the overall number of stopping points. Although it has been implemented throughout the country, the first DDI in California opened in November 2021.
- The PSR-PDS was completed in just 21 months, allowing RCTC to proceed with engineering and environmental studies.