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CA91 project in Corona

Started by MarkF, December 06, 2014, 02:26:44 AM

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cahwyguy

Check my pages; I think I have some regular updates on ROute 91.
Daniel - California Highway Guy ● Highway Site: http://www.cahighways.org/ ●  Blog: http://blog.cahighways.org/ ● Podcast (CA Route by Route): http://caroutebyroute.org/ ● Follow California Highways on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cahighways


AsphaltPlanet

#26
n/m, found it:

QuoteA massive project to ease traffic along the 91 Freeway in Corona is less than a year from completion, officials say.

Parts of the $1.4 billion work are more than a month behind schedule, including several ramps lining a 6-mile corridor of the highway. One of the largest elements — a 3,700-foot toll bridge connecting the 15 Freeway to the 91 — needs nearly a year of work.

Still, Riverside County Transportation Commission officials are confident all of the work will be done by May 9, 2017 — the completion date listed in the contract.

It appears I was bad at google this morning:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/corona-719854-work-freeway.html
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

MarkF

I drove through Corona last weekend, first time in a long time with no backups.

Photos from the finished project:

91 east at CA71, this used to backup here where a lane or two used to drop:


Now a 6th eastbound general purpose lane added from the CA71 merge extends to Maple St:


New flyover ramp from Maple to 91 westbound:


91 east at I-15, at right is the threaded ramp from Main that used jump on 91 just before the I-15 exit:


91 eastbound drops to four mainline lanes at the I-15 exit, then down to three a bit further at the end of the project. New carpool connector on the left:


91 east at I-15, always liked the ramp design here:


The Main St exit on westbound 91 used to grab a lane shortly past where I-15 merged in, causing backups.  Now it comes off 91 prior to the merge:


91 westbound Main St exit, new carpool connector from I-15 coming in from the left:


91 westbound with traffic coming in from I-15 on the right:


The I-15 merge adds general traffic lanes 5 and 6, with the sixth lane extending to just past Lincoln Ave:


91 westbound at CA71:


Video of eastbound and westbound 91 through the area:
https://youtu.be/Zu4EvWOPr2g


sparker

GREAT pictures!  Dreaded this interchange in the early 2000's; looks like real improvement that took into consideration the actual traffic numbers on at least 91.  Now if D8 can just get 8 GP lanes going on 15 north into Ontario, the regional network might actually see some significant relief!

Plutonic Panda

When is LA going to see improvements on the freeways here? Uggghhh. Beautiful work anyways!

sparker

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on April 12, 2017, 02:21:17 AM
When is LA going to see improvements on the freeways here? Uggghhh. Beautiful work anyways!

With the level of protestations and litigation that seems to accompany any attempt to use eminent domain in an urban setting, the answer to the above question is likely "later than sooner".  The fact that the recent I-5 upgrade ends at the I-605 interchange -- and that anything like that north of there would in all probability be mired in controversy -- indicates that very few Caltrans planners intend to wave a red flag in front of the proverbial urban bull for the time being.  Add to that the fact that the I-405 enhancements did relatively little to solve the congestion problems in that area, and you have a basis for reluctance to tackle any more capacity enlargements -- at least until the critical voices run out of material!  I for one wouldn't look for any more major freeway projects to commence within the central/western portion of L.A. metro in the near term.     

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: sparker on April 12, 2017, 03:02:12 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on April 12, 2017, 02:21:17 AM
When is LA going to see improvements on the freeways here? Uggghhh. Beautiful work anyways!

With the level of protestations and litigation that seems to accompany any attempt to use eminent domain in an urban setting, the answer to the above question is likely "later than sooner".  The fact that the recent I-5 upgrade ends at the I-605 interchange -- and that anything like that north of there would in all probability be mired in controversy -- indicates that very few Caltrans planners intend to wave a red flag in front of the proverbial urban bull for the time being.  Add to that the fact that the I-405 enhancements did relatively little to solve the congestion problems in that area, and you have a basis for reluctance to tackle any more capacity enlargements -- at least until the critical voices run out of material!  I for one wouldn't look for any more major freeway projects to commence within the central/western portion of L.A. metro in the near term.   
That's a damn shame but I agree with you. I'm not holding my breath.

nexus73

Mark, those photos remind me of why I love Southland freeways!  91 is really modern compared to the Seventies version.  It is funny to see "Beach Cities" up as the control city though!  I believe there is work going on in Riverside for 91 and I-215.  Is that correct?  Will there be more GP lanes and a continuous HOV running all the way to Berdoo on this route?

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

MarkF

Quote from: nexus73 on April 12, 2017, 10:53:57 AM
Mark, those photos remind me of why I love Southland freeways!  91 is really modern compared to the Seventies version.  It is funny to see "Beach Cities" up as the control city though!  I believe there is work going on in Riverside for 91 and I-215.  Is that correct?  Will there be more GP lanes and a continuous HOV running all the way to Berdoo on this route?

Rick

Construction completed last year to extend the 91 carpool lane from Tyler (or so) in Riverside to the I-215 interchange.  I haven't been on I-215 north of 91 for a while, so I don't know if any work is being done there.  I think just a bridge replacement is going on between 91 and 10.

Video from Sept 2016 of 91 east from CA 71 and onto southbound I-215, with that newly completed carpool lane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiUIyI1wUTQ

MarkF

Here's a couple of video stills from 1994 around the time work started on the 91 Express Lanes:

Eastbound near Gypsum Canyon, near the current CA 241 junction, note the wide center divider at the time.  91 was four lanes each direction at the time:


Eastbound past the old Coal Canyon interchange.  Remember that? It connected to nothing, just gated trails:


The then brand new 91 carpool lane started at the Riverside County line:

sparker

Quote from: MarkF on April 13, 2017, 01:44:51 AM
I haven't been on I-215 north of 91 for a while, so I don't know if any work is being done there.  I think just a bridge replacement is going on between 91 and 10.

Any idea as to which bridge is being replaced?  That segment of I-215 features some of the lowest-clearance bridges (14-5, 14-6 and so on) in the area (and definitely on CA Interstate routes); if this was indeed being addressed, it certainly would be overdue!

Quote from: nexus73 on April 12, 2017, 10:53:57 AM
It is funny to see "Beach Cities" up as the control city though!

"Beach Cities" has been a consistent "control city" on WB 91 since I was a UCR student in the late '60's.  As CA 91 disperses to several seashore locations (via CA 55, 57/22, and numerous other intersecting routes to the west), it's probably as appropriate a generality as anything!  Definitely more useful than the "Artesia" WB 91 control point along NB I-5 that persisted for some time -- while 91 does serve that city, one is in and out of it in a matter of a minute or two! 

SeriesE

Quote from: MarkF on April 12, 2017, 12:49:57 AM
I drove through Corona last weekend, first time in a long time with no backups.

Photos from the finished project:
...

The yellow in newer-spec signs look much brighter than before! Noticed that in new D4/D7 signs too.

Anaheim is probably a better control city for 91 west.


andy3175

Thanks for the pictures. So they only have three main lanes for I-15 north? I was hoping they'd add another (fourth) northbound, general-purpose lane through the SR 91 interchange.
Regards,
Andy

www.aaroads.com

MarkF

I've always found it a bit odd that the fourth I-15 northbound lane added at Ontario Ave gets forced off at Magnolia instead of staying on to the 91 exit.  Many times I've seen people jump into that lane when it gets added, anticipating the need to get in the right lane for the upcoming 91 interchange, than have to leave it once they realize it is exiting.

sparker

Quote from: andy3175 on April 23, 2017, 01:15:17 AM
Thanks for the pictures. So they only have three main lanes for I-15 north? I was hoping they'd add another (fourth) northbound, general-purpose lane through the SR 91 interchange.
Quote from: MarkF on April 23, 2017, 02:36:17 AM
I've always found it a bit odd that the fourth I-15 northbound lane added at Ontario Ave gets forced off at Magnolia instead of staying on to the 91 exit.  Many times I've seen people jump into that lane when it gets added, anticipating the need to get in the right lane for the upcoming 91 interchange, than have to leave it once they realize it is exiting.

Back about 2005 or so I inquired with D8 about this; they gave me a preliminary answer that the situation was due to a series of funding shortfalls and that the Magnolia bridge needed to be widened to accommodate an extra outer lane for the west 91 exit, and that specifically was unfunded -- and that my inquiry was only one of many, most of which came from pissed-off truckers.  Looks like most of the Corona-bound $$ was spent on 91 rather than 15.  Oh well, you know what they say about squeaky wheels (and 91 has been & is perennially loud in that respect!). 

ARMOURERERIC

What happened to the long planned 91n to 71n flyover?

sparker

Quote from: ARMOURERERIC on April 23, 2017, 11:34:31 AM
What happened to the long planned 91n to 71n flyover?

In a nutshell, unfunded.  AFAIK the plans for upgrading the 91E>71N (and vice-versa) connection still exist, but have been shelved for the time being.  Part of the issue is the relatively constricted 4-lane portion of 71 between CA 91 and CA 83; until that's addressed, I don't think D8 engineers are particularly interested in enhancing the connection.

nexus73

Speaking of 71, has the north end been upgraded yet?  If not, is something in the works?

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

emory

Quote from: nexus73 on April 24, 2017, 10:42:01 AM
Speaking of 71, has the north end been upgraded yet?  If not, is something in the works?

Rick

No. Last time I drove it, which was a couple months ago, the remaining traffic lights had been disabled and the median closed off to cross traffic.

nexus73

Quote from: emory on April 26, 2017, 01:59:43 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on April 24, 2017, 10:42:01 AM
Speaking of 71, has the north end been upgraded yet?  If not, is something in the works?

Rick

No. Last time I drove it, which was a couple months ago, the remaining traffic lights had been disabled and the median closed off to cross traffic.

Well, that is an upgrade of sorts I guess...LOL!  No traffic lights and an uncrossable median equals expressway more or less.  Thanks for the update Emory!

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.



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