Regional Leaders Launch “Coalition for Our Future” to Advance Urgent Safety Solutions for I-15 Corridor

Coalition for Our Future announces feasibility study to fast-track improvements on one of California’s most dangerous highways

The Coalition for Our Future – a partnership of regional business, labor and California port leaders – today announced a coordinated push to make Interstate 15 (I-15) safe and more reliable for residents, workers and businesses. The California-Nevada coalition will work through the Caltrans process to launch a feasibility study focused on improving safety and mobility along the corridor. The effort builds on earlier collaboration to identify safety issues and advance long-term solutions that protect families, first responders and freight.

“The I-15 corridor is of regional significance for its impact on Southern California’s economy. I-15 moves billions in goods and connects people, jobs and opportunity across the Southwestern United States,” said Kome Ajise, executive director of Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). “Improving safety and mobility on I-15 will boost regional competitiveness, support sustainable growth, and deliver lasting economic benefits locally, regionally, and nationally.”

The 18-month study will include collaboration with local and state transportation representatives to assess and prioritize needed improvements. Once complete, the study’s recommendations can be incorporated into the regional transportation plan, making the project eligible for state and federal funding to advance critical safety upgrades.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman said local communities understand the urgency. “Public safety is my top priority, and no one understands the risks better than High Desert families who drive the I-15 every day,” Hagman said. “They’ve seen the crashes, the closures, and the wages lost when traffic grinds to a halt. I support expediting the planning process so that solutions can move efficiently from paper to pavement.”

I-15 has one of the highest rates of serious and fatal crashes in California, with 1,033 crashes causing injuries or deaths between 2020 and 2024, nearly identical to the previous five-year period, according to the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) at UC Berkeley. On average, someone is hurt or killed every three days between Barstow and Las Vegas, and congestion often slows first responders during the critical “golden hour” – the window of time when quick medical care can save lives.

“Seconds matter in an emergency,” said Fire Chief Dan Munsey of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District. “There’s only one fire station along that isolated stretch of highway, yet our crews serve what’s essentially a city’s worth of daily travelers. When crashes close lanes or gridlock traffic, it slows response times and puts lives at risk. Faster clearances and fewer closures mean we can reach victims sooner and get them the care they need.”

Recent I-15 closures demonstrate how disruptive and costly delays can be. The 43-hour shutdown near Baker in 2024 stranded thousands in extreme heat and cost Southern California an estimated $106.7 million as responders contained a lithium-ion fire and delivered aid through stalled traffic.

I-15 is also vital to the region’s economy. In San Bernardino County alone, activity along the corridor contributes more than $3.3 billion annually and supports 13,600 jobs, with major benefits to local manufacturing, logistics and tourism.

Connecting the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to the nation, I-15 is a critical freight artery for the western United States. Nearly 7,500 trucks travel the Los Angeles-Las Vegas route each day, carrying goods that power regional and national economies. Congestion between the two regions costs an estimated $3 billion annually, and each hour of closure adds another $1.1 million in economic losses to Southern California.

With support from federal, state and local leaders, the Coalition for Our Future is working to transform I-15 into a next-generation transportation and logistics corridor that sets a national standard for safety, reliability and climate-friendly innovation. The group is committed to accelerating projects that reduce crashes, shorten delays and keep freight and travelers moving safely through one of the West’s busiest corridors.

“Closures and delays on I-15 ripple through every community – missed shifts, late deliveries, longer commutes,” said Jon Switalski, executive director of the Coalition for Our Future and Rebuild SoCal. “Rebuild SoCal is focused on turning that frustration into progress by partnering with Caltrans and local agencies to deliver safer, more efficient mobility for everyone.”