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Did you know? More than 700,000 vehicles travel on Interstate 5 daily. Now, your commute along I-5 in North County may feel smoother because four new miles of Carpool/HOV lanes are ready to roll between Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad and state Route 78 in Oceanside.

The southbound portion is usable now, and northbound lanes will open Monday, June 26. They’re for motorists with 2+ people in their vehicle — or vehicles with HOV access stickers issued by the DMV.

The $79 million HOV Lanes Extension — funded by federal, state, and local resources —
is part of SANDAG’s and Caltrans’ $870 million Build NCC project to improve highway, rail, coastal, and transportation access in Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad.

Nine miles of new I-5 Carpool/HOV lanes debuted last spring between Lomas Santa Fe Drive and Palomar Airport Road, and this latest stretch connects to those.

Build NCC is set to be completed by 2024.