Caltrans said work to widen Interstate Highway 15 will cause closures of a freeway interchange and several on- and off-ramps in Escondido during the next two months.
The closures will take place in four stages during April and May so crews can build new lanes on the outside edges of the freeway.
Kara Palmer with Caltrans said the work starts in a few days.
"But after we're done in late May, early June, the idea is that things will be moving a lot better, it will be a lot less painful," said Palmer. "We don't have any more extended ramp closures planned, it's kind of a short-term pain for kind of a long-term gain."
She said the work is being done in several stages.
Highway Closures
You can search the Caltrans Web site for planned highway closures.
The first stage, beginning in early April, will involve the closure of the Ninth Avenue on-ramp to the northbound I-15 for nine days, and the off-ramp to Valley Parkway for three days.
Next, the Valley Parkway on-ramp to southbound I-15 will be closed for three days in late April and the off-ramp to Ninth Avenue will be shut down for 16 days.
The third stage in early May will include the closure of the eastbound state Route 78 connector to the southbound I-15 for three days, and the shutdown of the off-ramp to Valley Parkway for 16 days.
The final stage is for the closure of the Valley Parkway on-ramp to northbound I-15 for 16 days in the middle of May.
Palmer said when the fourth stage is finished, traffic lanes will be shifted toward the newly paved lanes.
Crews will then begin building express lanes along the center median.
Palmer said the last stage of the Interstate 15 project, from State Route 56 to State Route 163, wraps up in Fall 2012.
