Full Ortega Highway Closures Begin Monday Night: What To Know

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Drivers who commute between Lake Elsinore and Orange County can expect full shutdowns of the Ortega Highway starting Monday as part of the state Route 74 widening project.

What to know:

The construction work will require nightly road closures from Jan. 31 through early morning Feb. 5. One-way traffic control with flagging and pilot vehicles will be in place from 8 p.m. to 9:59 p.m. nightly. Then, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, the route will be completely closed to all traffic. The work will end at 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, according to Caltrans.

"Residents and commuters will need to utilize the alternate routes to go around the closure each night," the agency reported.

Residents on Tenaja Truck Trail or west of Tenaja Truck Trail, including the Ortega Oaks RV Park and Campground and The Candy Store, will be directed to Orange County and will not be given access to go through to Lake Elsinore during the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to Caltrans.

Residents at Monte Vista, Long Canyon and Decker Canyon will be directed to Orange County and will not be given access to go through to Lake Elsinore during the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

EXPECT DELAYS:

Night road work will take place east of the Riverside County Line on state Route 74, and long waits and delays are to be expected, Caltrans said.

Daytime road work may occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with flagging for traffic control. California Highway Patrol officers will be on the scene to assist with traffic control.

As this is an active construction zone, the locations will change nightly, according to Caltrans.

"Please obey all posted signs and traffic instructions, including the pilot escort car, as CHP will be on location and citing any offenders," Caltrans advised.

For the most up-to-date information and to sign up for commuter alerts, see the SR-74 Ortega Widening Project.