Interstate 15 - California Travel Information

Interstate 15 South - Escondido to California 163

Southbound Interstate 15
	After much promise, Interstate 15 enters the city of San Diego as the freeway crosses Lake Hodges, a reservoir created by damming the San Dieguito River and by importing water via the San Diego Aqueduct program. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	San Diego County Route S-5 begins its short southbound journey at this interchange. It takes Pomerado Road south to Rancho Bernardo Road east, which changes into Espola Road upon entering the city of Poway. Once in Poway, San Diego County Route S-5 heads southeast to meet San Diego County Route S-4/Poway Road east of downtown Poway. The signage for this route is far better in Poway than in San Diego. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next two exits: Exit 26, Junction San Diego County Route S-5/Pomerado Road south and West Bernardo Road south and Exit 24, Rancho Bernardo Road. Pomerado Road between Exit 26 and Exit 14 follows the original alignment of U.S. 395 prior to being straightened out along the current Interstate 15 corridor. Some remnants of old U.S. 395 still remain in southern Poway near Rancho Encantada/Stonebridge Estates. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 26, Junction San Diego County Route S-5/Pomerado Road south and West Bernardo Road south. This exit serves the community of Rancho Bernardo, the northernmost area of San Diego. It is bisected by Interstate 15, with West Bernardo Drive serving the western half of the community and Pomerado Road serving the east side of the community. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next exit along southbound is Exit 24, Rancho Bernardo Road, 1.25 miles. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	After Exit 24, Rancho Bernardo Road, the next two exits are Exit 23, Bernardo Center Drive and Exit 22, Camino del Norte. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	A second mileage sign provides the distance to the interchange with Interstate 8 in Mission Valley (18 miles at Exit 6) as well as the distance to downtown via California 163. Photo taken 08/08/04.

Site Navigation

	The most direct route to the city of Poway is to use Rancho Bernardo Road east past the city limits, where the road becomes Espola Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 24, Rancho Bernardo Road, and the next exit is Exit 23, Bernardo Center Drive. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	After Exit 23, Bernardo Center Drive, the next exits are Exit 22, Camino del Norte and Exit 21, Carmel Mountain Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 next reaches Exit 23, Bernardo Center Drive, which is the third of four exits that serve Rancho Bernardo. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 22, Camino del Norte; Exit 21, Carmel Mountain Road; and Exit 19, Junction California 56/Ted Williams Freeway west to Carmel Valley and Ted Williams Parkway east to Poway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Use Camino del Norte west to reach 4S Ranch in the unincorporated county and Black Mountain Ranch North in the city of San Diego. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next exit along southbound is Exit 21, Carmel Mountain Road, which is the first exit that serves Carmel Mountain Ranch and Rancho Penasquitos. Photo taken 08/08/04.

	Carmel Mountain Road is fairly long road with a gap in the middle. Currently, it extends from Carmel Mountain Ranch southwest to Torrey Highlands, then ends in a field of open space. To the west, Carmel Mountain Road resumes in Del Mar Mesa, and it passes through Carmel Country Highlands and Torrey Hills before it will meet Interstate 5 in an interchange to be constructed in 2007. It is unclear if the gap between Torrey Highlands and Del Mar Mesa will ever be filled to make one continuous roadway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Currently the reversible express lanes for high occupancy vehicles begins just after Exit 19, Ted Williams Parkway/California 56. At the time this photo was taken, the express lanes were closed. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Due to ongoing construction, the overhead exit sign for Exit 21, Carmel Mountain Road was missing at the time this photo was taken. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 19, Junction California 56/Ted Williams Freeway and Exit 18, Junction San Diego County Route S-4/Poway Road/Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 next approaches Exit 19, Junction California 56/Ted Williams Freeway west to Carmel Valley and Ted Williams Parkway east to Sabre Springs and the city of Poway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The interchange between Interstate 15 and California 56/Ted Williams Freeway is being reconfigured into a freeway to freeway interchange. As a result, temporary signage is in place at Exit 19 until the freeway connections are completed, thus eliminating traffic signals. Since California 56 opened as a freeway, this interchange has been the scene of numerous backups and delays. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches the transition ramp onto the high occupancy vehicle/reversible lanes, which were closed at the time the picture was taken. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 18, Junction San Diego County Route S-4/Poway Road/Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard and Exit 17, Scripps Poway Parkway east and Mercy Road west. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 next approaches Exit 18, Junction San Diego County Route S-4/Poway Road/Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard. The county route basically follows Poway Road between Interstate 15 and California 67 in the east near the foot of Iron Mountain. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Like Rancho Bernardo Road, you can use San Diego County Route S-4/Poway Road east to reach the city of Poway. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 approaches Exit 17, Scripps Poway Parkway east to Miramar Ranch North and Poway and Mercy Road east to Mira Mesa, Park Village, and Rancho Penasquitos. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 17, Scripps Poway Parkway east and Mercy Road west; Exit 16, Mira Mesa Boulevard; and Exit 15, Carroll Canyon Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 17, Scripps Poway Parkway east and Mercy Road west. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	After Exit 17 is this mileage sign with the distance to Interstate 8 and downtown San Diego. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next exit along southbound is Exit 16, Mira Mesa Boulevard. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 16, Mira Mesa Boulevard and Exit 15, Carroll Canyon Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Mira Mesa Boulevard is a major east-west corridor that spans the Mira Mesa community between Scripps Ranch in the east and Sorrento Valley in the west, where it meets Interstate 805. For much of its length, it is six to eight lanes wide. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 16, Mira Mesa Boulevard; the next exit is Exit 15, Carroll Canyon Road. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next exit along southbound is Exit 15, Carroll Canyon Road. The exit was not signed at the time this photo was taken due to road widening and construction work. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 14, Pomerado Road and Miramar Road and Exit 13, Miramar Way. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The right lane becomes exit only for Exit 14, Pomerado Road and Miramar Road. Pomerado Road heads northeast through Scripps Ranch to Rancho Encantada, Poway, and ultimately Rancho Bernardo. Miramar Road heads west along the northern edge of the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, then changes into La Jolla Village Drive upon crossing Interstate 805. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 14, Pomerado Road and Miramar Road. Use this exit to reach an extant section of old U.S. 395 expressway along Kearny Villa Road as it travels through the Marine Corps Air Station. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	The next exit along southbound connects Interstate 15 to the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station via Exit 13, Miramar Way. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 reaches Exit 13, Miramar Way. The next exit is the split between Interstate 15 and California 163. Through traffic on Interstate 15 should merge left. Photo taken 08/08/04.
	After the Miramar Way interchange, the next exit along southbound Interstate 15 is the split with California 163/Cabrillo Freeway south. While California 163 follows former U.S. 395 southwest to downtown San Diego and related attractions, Interstate 15 continues due south along the old alignment of California 103 through Murphy Canyon and along the old 40th Street corridor through City Heights and Mid-City before meeting Interstate 5 in Barrio Logan near the 32nd Street Naval Station. This is a major decision point on southbound Interstate 15. Photo taken 07/10/04.
	To reach California 52 west to La Jolla and Pacific Beach, either Interstate 15 or California 163 may be used to make the connection. Photo taken 07/10/04.
	For California 52 east, only south Interstate 15 may be used. Photo taken 07/10/04.
	While the freeway widens to seven lanes along southbound, the area around Interstate 15 is remarkably free of development. This is because Interstate 15 passes through Miramar Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS). Fighter jets and other aircraft routinely pass over the freeway to make landings and takeoffs at the air station. Photo taken 07/10/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 splits from California 163 here. The four left lanes continue south on Interstate 15, while the three right lanes exit onto California 163. Photo taken 07/10/04.
	Southbound Interstate 15 passes under a flyover ramp from California 163 before continuing south on its own toward Tierrasanta, City Heights, and Barrio Logan. Photo taken 07/10/04.

Page Updated April 24, 2005.