The City of Fontana and CALTRANS are working in partnership to replace the existing 47-year old diamond interchange with a new "urban interchange". Interstate 10 (I-10)is a high volume east-west route serving the San Bernardino/Inland Empire area. Sierra Avenue is a major north-south arterial through the City of Fontana that connects to Riverside County in the south and Interstate 15 in the north.

The existing interchange was designed and constructed in the mid-1950s to accommodate approximately 25,000 vehicles per day. As the City continues to grow, the volume of traffic on Sierra Avenue alone has ballooned to over 65,000 vehicles per day. This far outstrips the interchange's capacity, resulting in lengthy traffic delays and limiting emergency vehicle access.

The new "urban interchange" design will address the high traffic volumes of today and those projected for the future, while requiring a minimum of additional right-of-way acquisition. The new interchange will have only one traffic signal, thereby increasing traffic flow and relieving congestion. In addition, all right turn movements entering and exiting the freeway will be free flow. Three through lanes and two left turn pockets in each direction will ease motorists through the interchange. New auxiliary lanes on I-10 will provide a longer distance to enter or exit the freeway, thereby improving safety when accelerating or decelerating.

The approximately $18 million interchange improvements are being funded by the Federal Highway Administration (TEA21) funds, San Bernardino Associated Government (Measure I) funds, and the City of Fontana.  More information on Measure I can be found here:  http://sanbag.ca.gov/news/mi_factsheets/MI_fontana-cdd.pdf

Construction began in January 2001 and was completed in May 2003. Since completion of the interchange traffic flows smoothly through the area. In addition, Palm Court businesses have noticed an increase in business in the area. Currently, the City is constructing one additional lane north bound from the I-10 Interchange to Valley Boulevard. This widening is scheduled to be completed mid-November 2003. The City continues to work with CALTRAN to construct landscape improvements along the I-10/Sierra Interchange.