Interstate 15 Construction

Biographical Note

In 1968 the United States government and the California Highway Commission recognized the need for an additional route in Southern California which would convey traffic in a north-south direction was needed, and a decision was made to extend Interstate 15 from the Riverside and San Bernardino area southward along U.S. Highway 395.

Required to comply with section 106 of the Federal Historic Preservation Act, the Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans undertook a preliminary archaeological survey took place in 1971, and in 1976 the discovery of some bedrock mortars prompted a new survey which revealed additional evidence of previous Native American activity and habitation. Caltrans archaeologists identified several sites which would be affected by the proposed highway construction route.