Westbound 91 Freeway To Close This Weekend

RIVERSIDE, CA — The ongoing Pachappa underpass project in Riverside will force a full closure of the westbound 91 Freeway this weekend.

The shutdown from 14th Street to Central Avenue is scheduled from 10 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m Sunday, the Riverside County Transportation Commission announced.

During the closure, a detour will be available: Drivers can exit at 14th Street and head west, turn south on Magnolia Avenue, and then turn east on Central Avenue to the westbound 91 on-ramp, RCTC officials said.

In addition to the freeway closure, the westbound 91 on-ramp at 14th Street and the westbound 91 off-ramp at Central Avenue are slated for full closure during the same time period this weekend.

While the eastbound side of the freeway will be open over the weekend, up to three lanes will be shut down from Central Avenue to 14th Street starting at 10 p.m. Saturday and lasting through 7 a.m. Sunday.

Leading into the weekend, traffic will be slow on the freeway during nighttime hours. Up to two lanes of traffic will close on westbound 91, between 14th Street and Central Avenue, starting Thursday, July 8, at 9 p.m. and lasting through 5 a.m. Friday, July 9. Up to two lanes will close on eastbound 91, between Central Avenue and 14th Street, beginning Thursday, July 8, at 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. Friday, July 9.

Work began on the $8.8 million state Route 91 Pachappa underpass project in April 2020 and is expected to be completed this fall. In addition to removing a portion of the overhead railroad bridge, the project includes building a retaining wall.