Over the weekend, construction on Corona’s McKinley Street bridge will force the closure of two streets and two 91 Freeway off-ramps.
The closures are set to start Friday, Aug. 23, at 9 p.m., and will last until Monday, Aug. 26, at 5 a.m.
Crews will continue doing construction on the bridge bridge to lift McKinley over the BNSF railroad tracks and also will do work on the railroad tracks.
Construction is expected to be finished in late 2024 or early 2025, city spokesperson Cindy Solis said.
The two off-ramps that will be closed are:
The eastbound 91 Freeway off-ramp
The westbound 91 Freeway’s McKinley Street south loop off-ramp
The two streets that will be closed are:
Sampson Avenue at its intersection with McKinley Street
McKinley Street, from the 91 Freeway south to Magnolia Avenue
Not everyone has been happy about the construction. Work on the $120 million McKinley Street Grade Separation Project drove customers away from small businesses, some owners said in 2022.
The project focuses on the city’s most-populated area, where drivers tend to get stuck in traffic behind passing trains. According to a city news release, Corona is building the 291-foot bridge, blue arch, to take McKinley over the railroad tracks and also the Arlington Channel with the goal of alleviating heavy traffic.
“It’s been very bad for business this year, for sure, because there’s been no access to the store, the only access is Magnolia Avenue,” said Steven Chor, who owns Donut Star.
The lane closure near the 91 Freeway that squeezes traffic on northbound McKinley Street into one lane from just south of Magnolia Avenue to just north of Sampson Avenue, is what makes it challenging for customers to access Chor’s store and other businesses in the plaza.
A blocked entrance to the shopping center at the corner of Estelle Street and Sampson Avenue has caused a 45% to 50% loss in business this year, Chor said, due to difficulties customers have had to access the freeway, he said.
“This weekend, I don’t know how much more I will lose on top of that … I hope it gets done soon, and I hope I make enough money to pay the rent,” Chor said.
The project is needed to relieve daily traffic congestion on McKinley Street, the release states. The area is near shopping plazas, which become crowded as people flock to restaurants, convenience and big-box stores nearby, including those north of the 91.
Samuel Huerta, who owns Mariscolandia restaurant on North McKinley Street, does not expect his restaurant to stay open next year because of a significant loss in customers.
Huerta said he now relies on regulars, adding that he “gets new customers here and there, but not nearly as many as we used to get.”
Huerta also said that there was once a Food 4 Less in McKinley Plaza, which was the main store that attracted customers to the plaza. Since that store closed, business has suffered significantly. Then there is the construction.
“It’s a mess coming through McKinley, so I think a lot of people avoid coming through that street,” Huerta said.
Access to stores and restaurants in the shopping plazas on McKinley will remain open this weekend using detours, the release states.
Related links
Work on $120 million McKinley Street bridge in Corona drives customers away
Would Corona’s McKinley Street project cure traffic ills? City, critics disagree
Construction begins on Corona’s McKinley Street bridge, closes lane
Detours for drivers trying to access the McKinley street south of the 91 Freeway are encouraged to head eastbound on the 91 Freeway, take the 15 Freeway southbound interchange and exit at Magnolia Avenue. Then, they can turn left onto Magnolia Avenue and continue straight to access the McKinley shopping plaza.
Drivers wanting to access the McKinley street north of the 91 Freeway, are encouraged to head eastbound on the 91 Freeway, take the 15 Freeway southbound interchange and exit at Magnolia Avenue. They can then turn left onto Magnolia Avenue, and then turn left onto Promenade Avenue to access the McKinley shopping plaza.
City officials said the project will relieve congestion, improve safety for drivers and pedestrians as well as improve emergency response times.
Updates on the project can be found here.
