Community Corner
Lake Elsinore 'Poppyville' Freeway Exits Closed by CHP
The Lake Street exits of the 15 Freeway, northbound and southbound, were shuttered by the highway patrol due to erratic parking by visitors.
LAKE ELSINORE, CA -- The California Highway Patrol on Tuesday morning temporarily closed exits on the 15 Freeway that lead to Lake Elsinore's spring "super bloom" poppy fields location after some visitors began parking erratically in the area.
The Lake Street exits of the 15 Freeway, northbound and southbound, were shuttered by the highway patrol just after 6 am following reports of vehicles stopping on an off-ramp, according to the CHP, which has nicknamed the super bloom area "Poppyville."
CHP has once again shut down both the northbound and southbound Lake Street exits for the 15 Freeway in the middle of Lake Elsinore's "poppyville." Visitors started parking in lanes just after 6 a.m., per CHP log. Checking on report that Walker Canyon Road also closed to traffic.
— Richard K. De Atley (@RKDeAtley) March 26, 2019
The CHP later allowed vehicles to exit the southbound ramp but only to turn right at the bottom, away from the poppy fields. The exits were then shut again around 9:30 am.
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The Walker Canyon area, located next to Interstate 15 between Lake Street and Nichols Road, is a hot spot for viewing wildflowers in Southwest Riverside County, and has drawn large crowds for weeks. However, city officials say that for the last three years, including this year, some visitors were less than respectful when it came to tossing trash, impeding traffic and venturing into the flowers.
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