The Point: February is the month of love, and RCTC offers a shout-out to its design and construction teams

Candy hearts. Long-stemmed roses. Mushy-squishy Valentine’s Day cards. Rain. Snow. Sunshine. Vaccinations. Construction equipment… February has brought a mixed bag to Riverside County, but as the month draws to a close, RCTC is showing its love to our construction crews and design teams for their continued work on transportation projects across the region.

RCTC is sponsoring more than a dozen projects, which are providing close to 10,000 jobs in western Riverside County. These projects have helped mitigate some of the job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and have kept construction workers, engineers, land surveyors, inspectors, and office staff busy delivering projects, large and small.

Several construction projects are nearing completion, so watch for announcements of opening dates:

• The 15 Express Lanes through Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Norco, and Corona are scheduled to open this spring. Crews are testing tolling equipment, training customer service representatives, restriping lanes, and finishing “punch-list” items. Learn more.
• The Metrolink Riverside-Downtown Station Layover Facility is expected to be completed this spring. This project will allow more trains to be housed at the station at the end of each night shift, creating more efficient passenger rail service and increased on-site maintenance.
• The Pachappa Overpass in Riverside should be completed this fall. Crews have been building a retaining wall and removing part of the overhead railroad bridge.

Other projects are continuing full speed ahead, including those in Lake Elsinore, Perris, Corona, and Riverside County’s Badlands:

• Work on the I-15 Railroad Canyon Road Interchange in Lake Elsinore began in May and is forecast to open in late 2022. The project is building auxiliary lanes on I-15 to help drivers enter and exit the highway near Railroad Canyon, adding lanes on Railroad Canyon, and rebuilding ramps.
• In Perris, the first construction phase of the Mid County Parkway, the I-215 Placentia Avenue Interchange, began in August. Crews are adding on- and off-ramps to Placentia Avenue, realigning East Frontage Road, widening the Placentia Avenue overcrossing, and adding lanes to Placentia Avenue between Harvill Avenue and Indian Avenue. The interchange should open in summer 2022.
• The 91 Corridor Operations Project in Corona began in November and is fast-tracked to open by late this year. The project is adding a lane to westbound 91 between the Green River Road on-ramp and the 241 Toll Road to help ease morning traffic congestion.
• Further east, crews are continuing work on the Route 60 Truck Lanes between Beaumont and Moreno Valley. In addition to adding a truck lane in both directions, the project is improving drainage, building wildlife crossings, and greatly expanding the roadway inside and outside shoulders for a safer driving experience. Crews also have been repairing the roadway from winter rainstorms. The new lanes are set to open in 2022.

Construction is right around the corner for the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector in Corona. This project will provide a direct link between the eastbound 91 Express Lanes and northbound 15 Express Lanes, as well as between the southbound 15 Express Lanes and the westbound 91 Express Lanes. Work is set to start this spring, and the connector is scheduled to open by 2023.

Project teams also are working on pre-construction activities and environmental/engineering studies for the 71/91 Interchange, the 15 Corridor Operations Project, the 15 Express Lanes Project Southern Extension, the San Gorgonio Pass-Coachella Valley Rail Project, the Santa Ana River Trail, and the next phase of the Mid County Parkway. Visit rctc.org/projects and register to receive updates using the “Contact Us” forms.

The Point: Watch for full closures of westbound 91 on Friday night and weekend closures at the 15/91 Interchange in Corona  

Thinking about driving to the beach or other points west this weekend? You might want to think twice, due to several closures taking place this weekend for construction activity on the 91 and Interstate 15.

RCTC is continuing to schedule construction closures when traffic is lighter than usual, due to COVID-19 recommendations to stay close to home.

For those who plan to hit the road anyway, please expect significant traffic delays, allow extra travel time, and follow detours. Closures will include:

• Westbound 91: Full closure of all westbound 91 lanes from the 71 to the 241 Toll Road, Friday, January 15 at 11 p.m. to Saturday, January 16 at 5 a.m. Crews will use this closure to safely remove overhead signage for RCTC’s 91 Corridor Operations Project. To support the closure, the westbound 91 Express Lanes in Riverside and Orange counties, the westbound Green River Road on-ramp and off-ramp, and the southbound 71/westbound 91 connector also will be closed. As a detour, motorists can head north on the 71, west on the 60, and south on the 57 to access westbound 91 in Orange County. Learn more by visiting rctc.org/91cop, following @therctc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or calling 833-460-5606.
• Southbound 15: Full closure of the southbound 15 to westbound 91 connector and the southbound Hidden Valley Parkway on-ramp, Friday, January 15 at 9 p.m. to Monday, January 18 at 5 a.m. Crews will use the closures for drainage repairs along the 15 as part of the 15 Express Lanes Project. Lane reductions on southbound 15 between Hidden Valley Parkway and the 15/91 interchange also will be under way throughout the weekend. For details, visit 15project.info, follow @15expresslanes, or call 844-415-9777.

Additional closures are likely the weekend of January 22 for the 15 Express Lanes Project, so please be on the lookout for closure notification.

Please share this information with family, friends, and colleagues.