The Point: Closure will keep workers safe and save overall construction time
Road closed ahead! As part of RCTC’s Interstate 215 Placentia Avenue Interchange Project in Perris, the Placentia Avenue bridge over I-215 will be fully closed for about 10 months starting Tuesday, July 20.
The full closure will allow crews to demolish the existing bridge and build a wider bridge over I-215, while safely separating crews from passing vehicles. The closure also will reduce the overall construction time from 2.5 years to two years. RCTC began project construction in August 2020 and remains on track to open the new interchange in summer 2022.
“This closure is a major milestone for the project,” said RCTC Chair Jan Harnik. It’s exciting to see the progress we have made since we started construction last summer and how this project will help the growing city of Perris.”
Several detour routes have been set for the bridge closure: Ramona Expressway to the north, Nuevo Road to the south, Harvill Avenue west of I-215, and Indian Avenue east of I-215.
Drivers should allow extra travel time and follow posted speed limits, especially when traveling on Indian Avenue near Val Verde Elementary School between Placentia Avenue and Orange Avenue. Construction activity and timing is subject to change.
In addition to the bridge closure, all lanes on I-215 will be closed overnight during the bridge demolition and to place – and later remove – support structures to build the wider bridge.
The interchange is designed to meet the needs of the area’s growing population by adding ramps to enter and exit I-215 at Placentia Avenue and improving traffic flow by realigning East Frontage Road, widening the bridge over I-215, and adding lanes to Placentia Avenue between Harvill Avenue and Indian Avenue. The project also will enhance safety with new storm water detention basins to relieve local street flooding and promote better air quality, due to fewer idling vehicles and less gas consumption. During construction, approximately 425 jobs have been created.
The project is the first construction segment of the Mid County Parkway, a future 16-mile east-west route between Perris and San Jacinto. Other construction segments of the Mid County Parkway are not funded, so the timing of further work is uncertain.
Funding for the Placentia Avenue interchange is provided by a combination of state funding and Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County.
Learn more: rctc.org/placentia