Board Awards $23 Million for Work on Murrieta Connector Road

By City News Service:

Riverside County supervisors Tuesday approved a $23.4 million contract with a Santa Ana-based firm to lengthen and pave a stretch of roadway just north of Murrieta that will serve as a future connector route between Interstate 215 and state Route 79.

Sukut Construction was selected from a dozen companies that bid on the Clinton Keith Road Extension Project, which has been in the works since 2013.

The project, slated to get underway at the start of next year, entails adding nearly a mile of surface road between where Clinton Keith currently ends to the east, at Trois Valley Street, and its western dead-end at Los Alamos Road.

According to Department of Transportation documents, the existing dirt strip that composes Clinton Keith through a portion of French Valley and along Murrieta’s northern boundary, from Whitewood Road to Avenida Manana, will be paved.

Documents indicated the new passage will span about two miles, with two traffic lanes running both east- and westbound.

A six-lane bridge will be constructed over Warm Springs Creek, currently open space, and a wildlife crossing intended to reduce traffic conflicts with area animal life will be put in place just west of Trois Valley, according to county officials.

They said the new and improved roadway will enable motorists transiting the area to reach the 215 and the 79 using Leon Road and Max Gills Boulevard to the east.

The Eastern Municipal Water District will be making water pipeline modifications as part of the project, and some demolition work will be required, according to transportation officials.

The project is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

A mix of sales tax revenue, mitigation funds collected from developers and special district fees will be utilized to cover costs. No county general fund dollars will be expended, officials said.

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