Murrieta Celebrates Groundbreaking Of Major Road Widening Project

MURRIETA, CA — Earlier this week, Murrieta finally broke ground on a long-anticipated project to widen Murrieta Hot Springs Road, a crowded thoroughfare that has long bedeviled commuters.

The project is expected to widen, rehabilitate and also add bike lanes and sidewalks along with other infrastructure improvements, according to Sen. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), who attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

"Congratulations to the City of Murrieta on the Groundbreaking of the Murrieta Hot Springs Road Widening Project!" the senator wrote on X Monday.

The $15 million project will widen the roadway from four lanes to six lanes between Margarita and Winchester roads, relieving the city's most traveled street of a chronic traffic problem.

"This expansion aims to alleviate congestion, improve traffic flow, and enhance pedestrian safety," according to the city.

El Centro-based Rove Engineering, Inc., is managing the project.

Work is expected to begin in the next few weeks and will be completed in about nine months, the city said.

Until then, commuters and locals can expect to put up with travel delays and some of the usual traffic congestion.

Murrieta Hot Springs Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction during nighttime operations from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. During the day, it will be reduced to three lanes — 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane will stay open during the day, the city said.

Residents and visitors were asked to "pack their patience and, when possible, find an alternative route during this much-needed capital improvement project," Murrieta Mayor Cindy Warren said.

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Patch Editor Toni McAllister contributed to this report.