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Greetings from the field! It's official. The eastbound and westbound 91 will close between the 71 and I-15 for 55 hours from Friday, February 19 at 9 pm to Monday, February 22 at 4 am. As Project Manager of the 91 Project, I appreciate the feedback from area motorists, residents and business operators, who have voiced support for the weekend full closure, rather than multiple nighttime closures. We know that this closure will affect traffic flow in the region, so I thank our community in advance for their understanding.
My team made this decision to close the 91 based on consultation with Caltrans, the City of Corona and County of Riverside. After studying several options, we concluded that the weekend closure was the best course of action. By consolidating several major construction activities within one weekend, we will be able to cut by more than half the number of hours the 91 will need to be closed. Even more important was the element of safety. A full closure reduces the potential for traffic collisions, which are more likely with closures that occur night after night. Weather was another consideration. It will be easier to plan around one weekend of bad weather, compared to multiple nights of closures, which we had been considering.
We have launched our "91 Steer Clear" public outreach campaign to ask motorists to plan ahead and either avoid the area or stay home. If you can't avoid traveling through the area, please use the 57, 60 and I-10 as detours. I strongly advise avoiding the 91, 71 or I-15 in Corona, as we expect delays of three to four hours on these roadways.
Mark your calendar and please tell your family, friends, coworkers and customers about this weekend closure and detour routes. Watch for billboards, listen for radio ads and share the news on social media. With your help, we can make this a safe, successful effort.
If you must travel towards Los Angeles and Orange County, the 91 Steer Clear weekend will be a perfect opportunity to ride Metrolink! RCTC will provide funding to double train service during the closure on Metrolink's 91 Line and Inland Empire/Orange County (IE/OC Line). The extended service will be provided on the Saturday and Sunday of the closure. Metrolink will run on their regular schedule on Friday and Monday. Furthermore, Metrolink will offer a "2 for the price 1" promotion during the closure, which will allow a paid passenger to bring an additional person for free. For more information on Metrolink's extended service and "2 for the price 1" promotion during the 91 Steer Clear, please click here.
As part of the "91 Steer Clear" campaign, we held briefings for businesses and emergency responders on February 2. We invite local residents and business operators to a public meeting on Saturday, February 6, from 9 am to noon. Presentations will be held at 9:30 am, 10:30 am and 11:30 am. The presentations will be the same, so please attend at the time most convenient for you. If you cannot attend the public meeting in person, we will have a live webcast of the 10:30 am presentation. Please click here to be directed to the webcast when it begins.
I also encourage you to visit the 91 Steer Clear webpage to view the latest information about the closure, including detour maps, Frequently Asked Questions and our "91 Seconds on the 91" video. As always, you can submit questions via the Contact Us/Feedback page on our website, send an email to sr91project@rctc.org or call helpline, (877) 770-9191.
Please also note the following project updates:
1. The Maple Street Bridge will be reduced to two lanes that will be open only to northbound motorists, starting February 12. The lane reductions are required to prepare the west half of the bridge for demolition during the 55-hour weekend closure, February 19-22. Travel across the bridge will be allowed only by northbound motorists for several months, while crews rebuild the bridge. Southbound trucks will be directed to use Lincoln Avenue, and passenger vehicles will be directed to use Smith Avenue. Please watch for detour signs and updates about the Maple bridge construction during the coming months.
2. In late February, crews are expected to begin lowering the Serfas Club Drive/Auto Center roadway beneath the 91. Crews will close Auto Center/Serfas Club in three phases. Please watch for more information in the next edition of "From the Field."
3. A Ramp and Local Street Activities graphic has been developed to help you keep track of the status of on-ramps, off-ramps and local street improvements that are part of our 91 Project. This document will be updated regularly; please take a few minutes to view our first version on the website.
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Project Helpline
877-770-9191
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Project Website
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