Construction On New Connector At 15/91 Freeways Finally Begins

CORONA, CA — Construction on a new connector at the 15 and 91 freeways in Corona will finally begin after a downturn in the economy delayed the project, county officials announced Monday.

Construction on the $270 million 15/91 Express Lanes Connector project begins Monday night and is scheduled to be completed in 2023. The construction start follows the April 10 opening of the Interstate 15 express lanes.

The connector project will link the new I-15 express lanes and the state Route 91 express lanes. Once completed, drivers from eastbound 91 express lanes can connect to the northbound 15 express lanes, and drivers from the southbound 15 express lanes can connect to the westbound 91 express lanes.

The connector was originally part of the Route 91 Corridor Improvement Project that opened in 2017, but a downturn in the economy limited available funding and required the 91 project to be scaled back and postponed construction of the 15/91 Express Lanes Connector, according to an announcement from the Riverside County Transportation Commission.

California Senate Bill 132 that was signed off by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017 provided $180 million of the $270 million connector project cost. The remaining $90 million is provided by toll revenue from the 91 express lanes, according to the RCTC.

The project is estimated to provide 2,300 jobs, the agency said.

“RCTC is excited to have opened the 15 express lanes earlier this month, and we are wasting no time starting work on yet another traffic solution — the much-needed 15/91 Express Lanes Connector,” RCTC Chair and Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik said. “As we emerge from the pandemic and see more vehicles back on the road, this project will be an essential new travel option for drivers in northwest Riverside County."

The express connector will be part of a tolled system. In addition to the new connector, the project will extend an outside lane on eastbound 91 through the I-15 interchange to the Promenade overcrossing. The extension will also shift the eastern end of the 91 express lanes approximately one-half mile from the current endpoint to help with vehicle merging in the area.

According to the RCTC, the project benefits include:

• Reduced traffic congestion and improved operations
• Enhanced safety
• Seamless connection and greater travel time reliability between toll systems

As work on the connector gets underway, motorists will see periodic nighttime closures of lanes and connectors, as well as traffic shifts between the general-purpose lanes and express lanes to provide room for construction. Shoulders also will be closed, and freeway service patrol trucks will roam the area to help stranded motorists. Four weekend closures are also anticipated in 2022 and 2023, according to the RCTC.

For more information, visit rctc.org/15-91connector.