Eastbound 91 Freeway Closes Through Monday: What To Expect

CORONA, CA — Drivers heading eastbound on the Riverside (91) Freeway through downtown Corona will experience traffic nightmares starting Friday night. All were advised to avoid the area until after 5 a.m. Monday morning.

The full eastbound closure will shut down lanes at 10 p.m. Friday evening at the 91/Interstate 15 interchange and through 5 a.m. Monday — for the second time in less than a month — allowing road crews to conduct re-surfacing work.

Motorists were advised to plan for alternate routes in advance or be prepared for long delays in the construction zone.

All five eastbound lanes of the 91 will be out of service until Monday morning, according to the Riverside County Transportation Commission.

The agency said that the second-weekend closure is required for ongoing operations connected to the $12.6 million "91 Refresh Project," which entails resurfacing lanes, modifying retaining walls and repairing concrete barriers on both sides of the 91.

"The closure is needed for the safety of motorists and crews while the paving work is underway," according to an RCTC statement. "This work follows the full closure of eastbound 91 in this same area on Sept. 16-19. Crews will be replacing temporary asphalt placed that weekend with permanent concrete to give motorists a smoother ride."

The project is expected to wrap up by December.

It was not immediately known whether additional shutdowns might be required, however, drivers should be alert to expect intermittent closures until then.

Although detours will be available via city streets through the mile-long closure zone, wait times are expected to be extensive, and eastbound motorists were encouraged to take other routes to their destinations.

The Pomona (60) Freeway to the north of the 91 will be open to all eastbound travel, as well as Interstate 10.

Officials said that even though the closure will end at I-15 in Corona, no lanes or transition ramps on the interstate will be impacted. The westbound 91 also will not be affected.

The on-ramp from Main Street to the eastbound 91 will also be closed as part of the weekend work.

The re-surfacing may conclude before the scheduled time on Monday, depending on conditions.
Motorists can get up-to-date information on the closure at www.rctc.org/91refresh.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.