Apple Valley’s Yucca Loma Road to be improved in three phases
Town of Apple Valley officials announced plans to widen a portion of Yucca Loma Road.
The widening is part one of a three-phase project and is expected to improve traffic flow, town officials said. Most of the increased traffic on Yucca Loma Road comes from the May completion of Victorville’s Green Tree Expansion and Bridge project, which created another east/west corridor from both municipalities.
"The Yucca Loma Road widening project is a crucial step in improving traffic flow and safety in the Apple Valley area as we see our Town continue to grow," said Mayor Scott Nassif in a press release.
Phase 1
The first phase includes the reconstruction and widening of Yucca Loma Road from one to two through lanes in each direction between Apple Valley Road and approximately 1,200 feet east of Apple Valley Road.
The estimated $1.5 million widening construction project is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the end of 2024, according to town officials.
The town will utilize two sources of funding for phase one, including San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s Major Local Highway Program. Additionally, revenues from the town’s traffic impact fee are paid for by developers and builders of new development impacts.
Phases 2 and 3
Phase 2 includes improvements at the intersection of Yucca Loma Road and Rincon Road, which is currently an all-way stop.
Phase 3 will require further study and design of Yucca Loma Road from Rincon Road to Navajo Road/Outer Highway 18.
Both phases will be considered in the town’s upcoming Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget plan, town officials stated.
Increased traffic, bottlenecks
Town officials have not conducted a traffic study on Yucca Loma Road since the opening of the Green Tree Extension.
However, town spokesperson Sarah Krieg told the Daily Press that the initial traffic study and subsequent 2019 design accounted for the anticipated increase in traffic due to the bridge and extension.
“An additional traffic study will be included in Phase 3 of this project to review the residential area of Yucca Loma rd from Rincon through Highway 18,” Krieg added.
Residents told the Daily Press that traffic on Yucca Loma Road has steadily increased since May with the completion of Victorville’s Green Tree Expansion and Bridge project.
The new east/west corridor connects Victorville to Apple Valley’s Yucca Loma Bridge, which spans the Mojave River.
Commuters have praised the new connection between the municipalities. At the same time, many have voiced their frustration over increased traffic congestion along Green Tree Boulevard in Victorville and Yucca Loma Road in Apple Valley.
Several residents said the sight of long lines of vehicles is common where Yucca Loma Road crosses Apple Valley Road and Rincon Road.
“It’s nice to be able to get from Apple Valley to Victorville in about 12 minutes, but coming home is a different story,” Janice White said. “Some afternoons, it’s bumper-to-bumper from Seventh Street to Rincon Road and Kiowa Road.”
Many commuters have said traffic “bottlenecks” are also common near the Green Tree Boulevard Bridge in Victorville and Rincon Road in Apple Valley.
The town completed design work in 2019 to widen Yucca Loma Road from two to four lanes, from Apple Valley Road to Rincon Road. However, funding constraints prevented the project from progressing to construction.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Apple Valley’s Yucca Loma Road to be improved in three phases
