That stretch of asphalt connecting Newport Road with Domenigoni Pkwy will open up in a matter of weeks, according to the Press Enterprise.

While this is going to be great news for Hemet, will it be great news for Menifee?

Congestion along Newport RD near the 215 Freeway is going to get worse, as Hemet folks make their way to points north and south. And Riverside County doesn't plan to relieve that congestion for another four years...

Unfortunately, parkway travelers still will endure a crowded stretch of Newport Road before reaching I-215. Perez said improvements to Newport Road near I-215 will take four years.

The biggest expectation for this new connector is that it will relieve congestion along Winchester Rd through Murrieta and Temecula. But will that relief come at a major cost to us in Menifee?

If Hemet commuters now have a straight shot to the 215 Freeway, will that increase congestion on the 215?

Retail centers in Menifee will not necessarily benefit right away from this new connector, because people in Hemet don't need to come to Menifee to do their shopping. However, the new road will make it easier for Menifee folks to get to the Super Wal-Mart in Hemet. Hemet could stand to get more of our tax dollars via this new road.

Overall, I think this new connector is a good idea for the entire South-West Riverside County as a whole. But I'm disappointed to learn that traffic relief along Newport & I-215 is still another four years away. In the long run, this connector will become vital to Menifee's future, but only after retail and business centers have been built here.

Until then, Newport Rd is going to become very busy, very soon.

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Labels: Domenigoni-Parkway, Newport-Road