Starting next week, the westbound 91 Freeway in Corona will be closed three nights a week for about two weeks, with more closures expected in the new year.
On Monday, Dec. 2, crews will start to dismantle support structures that span the entire width of the westbound freeway as they continue work on the 71/91 Interchange Project.
“Removing these support structures takes precision and time,” a Riverside County Transportation Commission release states.
The project aims to improve traffic congestion between Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties. It will replace the single-lane loop connector between the eastbound 91 and the northbound 71 with a new, two-lane connector ramp.
The nighttime closures are scheduled for Monday nights through Wednesday nights, and are expected to last until Wednesday, Dec. 18. The after-dark work will take a holiday break from Dec. 20 through Jan. 1, a news release states.
The closures will then resume Monday, Jan. 6, and last until Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Now that a connector deck connecting the 71 Freeway has been constructed, crews will begin removing more than 40 support structures while the freeway is shut.
The closures set for Monday nights through Wednesday nights are:
- Full closure of the westbound 91 Freeway, from the 71 Freeway west to Green River Road in Corona, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
- Full closure of the westbound 91 Express Lanes, from the 15 Freeway west to the Orange County/Riverside County Line, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
- Full closure of the connector from the southbound 71 Freeway to the westbound 91 Freeway, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Full closure of the connector from the northbound and southbound 15 Freeway to the westbound 91 Express Lanes, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
- Closure of the Green River Road off-ramp on the westbound 91, from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.
In summer, crews completed a similar operation and removed support structures over the eastbound 91 Freeway, said David Knudsen, the commission’s deputy executive director.
The $137-million interchange project that started construction in February 2023 is anticipated to be open in 2025, a commission news release states.
The Serfas Club Drive and Auto Center Drive westbound 91 off-ramps will be open for businesses and residents near Green River Road.
Drivers can use Serfas Club Drive to get to Green River Road.
Drivers traveling westbound on the 91 should plan for extra time to reach destinations near the 71 and 91 Freeway, Knudsen said during a Monday, Nov. 25, news conference.
“We really want to help people avoid time spent sitting in traffic, so we’re asking everyone to steer clear of this section on the 91 during these nighttime closures,” Knudsen said.
To register for construction updates, text 7191interchange to 855-793-2625 or sign up through the project webpage, rctc.org/71-91Interchange.
