Workshop For Proposed Transportation Corridor

A 16-mile transportation corridor is planned to run through Wildomar and Lake Elsinore, and the public is invited to the first in a series of community workshops planned for the project.

On Nov. 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., residents are invited to attend the first workshop for the proposed Historic Highway 395 Corridor Study project, also known as the Jefferson Avenue Corridor project, at the Murrieta Public Library Conference Room, Eight Town Square.

The 16-mile arterial corridor is proposed to parallel the west side of Interstate 15 where old Highway 395 used to travel. It would extend from Rancho California Road along Jefferson Avenue through the cities of Temecula and Murrieta, continuing along Palomar Street and Mission Trail through the cities of Wildomar and Lake Elsinore, and continuing along East Lakeshore Drive to Main Street in Lake Elsinore.

“The Study will enable the four contiguous cities to accommodate future growth by utilizing a range of transportation options and reducing transportation demand through better community design,” according to a Nov. 4 news release from Western Riverside Council of Governments, the agency leading the project. “Additionally, the Study will establish a vision that will guide land use decisions, infrastructure improvements, design and economic development activities along the corridor.”

At the Nov. 17 workshop, Study team members will provide a brief presentation about the purpose and background of the proposed project, according to the Nov. 4 news release. Workshop participants will be encouraged to provide feedback and ask questions about the Study, particularly regarding their vision for the future and the challenges and opportunities that they foresee for better connecting the four cities and supporting the local economies through transportation, land use and community design strategies, the news release stated.

On Oct. 24, Wildomar City Manager Frank Oviedo announced his city will receive up to $125,000 in grant funding to develop a plan for the city’s historic areas, possibly including where old 395 used to travel near Central and Palomar streets.

Oviedo said Wildomar's plan would complement the proposed corridor project. The goal of the Wildomar plan is to review all areas in the city that have historic value, but then focus on planning a particular area, Oviedo said. ( to read more about Wildomar’s plan.)

The public is encouraged to learn more about the Historic Highway 395 Corridor Study by visiting the project website and signing-up for email updates at www.highway395corridorstudy.org.

Caltrans is providing the primary source of funds for the Study through the Community Based Transportation Planning Grant Program and each of the four cities contributed matching funds, according to the Nov. 4 news release. Southern California Association of Governments is also a Study partner, providing funds to support community outreach activities for the Study through the Compass Blueprint grant program.