Local
Caltrans pauses Corona SR-91 work after severe commuter delays
A westbound closure ran past its scheduled end and contributed to a backup that stretched as far as 20 miles Wednesday morning.
Caltrans paused scheduled slab-replacement work on State Route 91 in Corona after an overnight lane closure contributed to hours of westbound gridlock Wednesday morning, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.
Location: Westbound SR-91 near Lincoln Avenue in Corona
Closure: Five of seven westbound lanes, including express lanes
Traffic impact: Backup reached up to 20 miles; the Riverside-to-Anaheim drive took about four hours at the peak
Agency action: Scheduled work paused while Caltrans reviews the closure operation
What happened
The overnight work was scheduled to end at 5 a.m., but crews were still visible on the freeway about 90 minutes later. Only two westbound lanes remained open during part of the morning commute, and Caltrans said other incidents in the area may have added to the delays.
All lanes reopened shortly after 8 a.m., according to the agency. Traffic later returned to normal.
What Caltrans is changing
A Caltrans District 8 spokesperson told ABC7 that the approved closure had been revoked while the agency reviews the contractor’s operation. The spokesperson said any future work will require stronger production planning and a contingency plan designed to reopen the roadway on time.
Original reporting: ABC7 Los Angeles →