Caltrans and SANDAG announced Tuesday that four additional miles of carpool lanes will open on Interstate 5 in North County this month.
Southbound carpool lanes from state Route 78 in Oceanside to Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad will open at 5 a.m. Wednesday, followed by matching northbound lanes on June 26.
Opening of the new lanes completes 13 miles of freeway construction from Lomas Santa Fe Road to Route 78 in coastal North County.
“These lanes will encourage more carpooling and increase vehicle occupancy along a major corridor in San Diego’s North County,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.
Officials estimated the new lanes will provide a 50% reduction in commute times for high-occupancy vehicles during peak travel hours.
The work is part of the Build North County Corridor project, which included bridge replacements, railroad improvements, new bicycle paths and lagoon restoration in the area.
The highway portion of the project, which included a new bridge over San Elijo Lagoon, was the most expensive at a cost of $646 million.
