City Officially Opens New Stretch of Menifee Road

The northern and southern sections of Menifee Road were officially connected today with the opening of a half-mile stretch between Simpson Avenue and Aldergate Drive previously known as the "Missing Link."

Mayor Scott Mann and city council members took an initial tour of the new section of road on a trolley car before gathering at its midpoint for a brief ceremony. City manager Rob Johnson and Mann acknowledged local and regional dignitaries who joined with them in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Mann said the project cost $4 million, with the city contributing $1.5 million. However, the city was fully reimbursed through Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) funds provided by the county. Menifee also received $3.5 million in TUMF funds to go toward the next road project -- expansion of the Newport Road freeway interchange.

Menifee Road becomes the first street east of the 215 Freeway where motorists can travel from Murrieta north all the way to Nuevo on paved roads. This is expected to save drive time for motorists and take some of the traffic flow off Newport Road and McCall Boulevard.

The new stretch of Menifee Road was due to be open to traffic by this evening.