Officials say 71/91 Freeway interchange project in Corona will be completed this summer

After nearly two years of construction, the 71/91 Interchange Project will finally be completed this summer, according to the Riverside County Transportation Commission. 

The work began back in late-2023, with the goal of replacing what is currently a single-lane connector between the eastbound 91 Freeway and the 71 Freeway with a two-lane connector loop. 

Work will still continue in coming weeks though, with the next major phase coming this weekend. Starting on Friday at 9 p.m., all westbound lanes of the 91 Freeway connector will be closed until 6 a.m., while the next night the Green River ramp will be closed from Friday at 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday. 

The newly-constructed bridge between the eastbound 91 and northbound 71 will open at 6 a.m on Saturday morning, RCTC officials said. 

The project, which cost approximately $137 million, will allow the busy thoroughfare to accommodate more cars and realign for a new connector. It was funded in part by the California Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017, which hiked gasoline taxes to pay for state infrastructure and other projects. Additional funding was provided by Measure A receipts, which is generated by a half-cent sales tax. The rest is provided by federal funding and other sources, officials said. 

More information on the project can be found on RCTC's website.