City Grill

Richard A. Quirk 
Principal and Senior Project Manager
STV

“The construction business in the Inland Empire is booming, particularly in residential development, thanks to the relatively lower cost of living compared to LA and Orange County,” Quirk says. This demographic shift, in turn, has buoyed transportation projects throughout the area. Major projects include the widening of SR-91 and I-15 in Riverside County and the Brightline West high-speed rail, which has a terminus in Rancho Cucamonga. 

One noticeable move has been a refocusing away from expanding highways to reducing vehicle miles traveled and promoting sustainable transportation options. “As a result, we expect future investments to prioritize rail and transit expansions over new freeway widenings,” Quirk notes, “with the long-term trend moving toward more integrated, multimodal transportation solutions that provide reliable, ecofriendly alternatives to driving.” 

Like much of the industry, the region is experiencing challenges related to staffing, materials and inflation. “Finding qualified talent has become increasingly difficult,” Quirk adds.