Plans to reconstruct and modernize a local highway is expected to facilitate and accelerate travel to and from San Diego County’s southern areas. Residents from areas such as Chula Vista and National City will benefit from the Interstate-805 South Project. According to keepsandiegomoving.com this ongoing transportation development will provide carpool lanes, sound walls and a Bus Rapid Transit System.

Covering a region of about 11 miles between East Palomar Street in Chula Vista and the I-805 State Route 15 interchange in San Diego, the estimated $1.4 billion project is catered to the future needs of travelers in South Bay regions, according to keepsandiegomoving.com

The carpool lanes will extend from East Palomar Street to State Route 94, easing congestion in the eight-mile span from Chula Vista to San Diego.

“I think it’s going to make it a lot easier for us students that live downsouth to get to school faster,” ki- nesiology senior Ana Ramirez said about commuting from Chula Vista to San Diego State. “Hopefully wewon’t have to get up so early.” According to the Analytic Studies & Institutional Research depart- ment at San Diego State, 85 percent of undergraduate students lived off campus or commuted to school in the 2011-12 school year.

Assistant Student Life Advisor for Casa Azteca Melissa Felix said the I-805 South Project could benefit students in the program.

Casa Azteca is a student success program at SDSU focused on San Ysidro commuters.“They often tell me how hard it is to get here,” Felix said. “It some- times takes them an hour to drive, especially to morning classes.”

Construction for the carpool lanes began in the summer and is expect- ed to be completed next fall. Sound walls to reduce freeway noise will be added in 2013 and are expected to be finished by 2014. More than 60 sound walls have been proposed.

Some SDSU students find car- pooling the easiest and most effi- cient way to get to campus. “In our learning community, the students become friends and they start car- pooling once they figure out they live nearby,” Felix said.

The transportation development will also aid commuters from Mexi- co, according to French and franco- phone studies senior Mario Delga- dillo, who commutes from Tijuana to SDSU every day.

“I can’t wait for the 805’s carpool lane to be ready so that my two hour commuting trip can be reduced,” Delgadillo said.