The Point: Closures will allow crews to safely lift a large support structure in the 91 median

Plan ahead if your schedule calls for driving from the Los Angeles and Orange counties to Riverside County on the 91 the weekend of June 9-12. Motorists traveling east on the 91 this weekend will face heavy traffic due to nighttime closures of the eastbound 91 and closures of both the eastbound and westbound 91 Express Lanes as part of the 71/91 Interchange Project in Corona. The eastbound Green River Rd. on-ramp will also be closed at night.

Closures for the upcoming weekend include:

  • Nighttime Full Closures
    • Eastbound 91, Green River Rd. to Serfas Club Dr./Auto Center Dr.
      • Saturday, June 10 from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.
      • Sunday, June 11 from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.
      • Monday, June 12 from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Day and Nighttime Weekend Full Closures
    • Eastbound and Westbound 91 Express Lanes in Riverside County
      • Friday, June 9 at 9 p.m. to Monday, June 12 at 5 a.m.
  • Nighttime Full Closures
    • Eastbound 91 Green River Rd. On-Ramp
      • Friday, June 9 at 9 p.m. to Saturday, June 10 at 7 a.m.
      • Saturday, June 10 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, June 11 at 7 a.m.
      • Sunday, June 11 at 9 p.m. to Monday, June 12 at 5 a.m.

The southbound 71 connectors to eastbound and westbound 91 will remain open. The eastbound and westbound 91 general purpose lanes will remain open during daytime hours.

The closures are needed to allow crews to safely lift a large support structure from the 91 median and place it into a 15-foot diameter, 160-foot deep, drilled hole. The cage is 14 feet in diameter, 160 feet long, and weighs 232,000 pounds. The hole will be filled with 700 cubic yards of concrete to build the foundation for one of the columns of the 71/91 connector.

Due to the large size of the cage and the amount of concrete to be transported (more than 70 truckloads), the lanes must be closed during this procedure for the safety of motorists. This series of weekend closures are being carefully planned with the community in mind. These weekend closures reduce the need for a full weekend closure of the eastbound 91 that would significantly impact drivers, residents, and businesses.

To reduce the time spent in potentially heavy traffic, drivers should avoid the area and use the 57 to eastbound 60 to the 71. A map of the suggested detour route is available below.

052523 71 91 EB 91 Closure Detour Maps v3 01 uai 2064x1595

West Corona residents may use Green River Rd. to Palisades Drive to Serfas Club Dr./Auto Center Dr. to enter eastbound 91. Motorists should allow for extra travel time to reach local businesses, which will remain open. Fire, police, and ambulance services will have access for emergency response.

Construction activity is subject to change due to site conditions, weather or other factors. If the work cannot be completed the weekend of June 9-12, it will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

The 71/91 Interchange began construction in February, and the connector is expected to open in 2025. The project will replace the existing single-lane loop connector between eastbound 91 and northbound 71 with a two-lane direct connector. Once completed, the project is intended to improve safety, expand access to other modes of travel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance traffic flow. The $137 million investment is providing 1,677 jobs during construction.

To register for construction updates, text 7191interchange to 77222 or sign up through the project webpage, rctc.org/71-91interchange.

71 71/91 71/91 interchange 91 91 Express Lanes closures construction Corona Express Lanes Weekend Closures