Ortega Highway's Weeknight Closure Schedule: Detours Necessary

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — Nighttime closures are underway on both sides of the Ortega Highway between Lake Elsinore and the Orange County line will be shut down on weeknights until further notice, beginning Monday evening, to facilitate work on the two-lane corridor. The heavily traveled road will not be fully accessible until the end of the month. During closure times, drivers should expect heavier traffic on the 91 and 15 freeways.

The closure started at 10 p.m. and continue until 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, according to Caltrans.

Motorists — and residents who live along pockets of the winding Ortega Highway— were advised to prepare well in advance because access to large segments of the 17-mile artery will be inaccessible, with no exceptions.

Any motorists trying to access the route between the Orange County border and Monte Vista Street west of Lake Elsinore will be turned around by the California Highway Patrol.

Additionally, weekend closures are planned for Aug. 13-16 and Aug. 27-30, during the same hours. Caltrans officials said that the shutdowns are necessary to enable crews to complete excavation work, removing and replacing slabs without interruption.

The $49 million Ortega Widening Project began in February. In late April, the contractor, Watsonville-based Granite Construction, initiated modifications that required nighttime closures on the corridor.

Caltrans spokeswoman Kim Cherry emphasized that the Ortega Highway is not available as a connector between Riverside and Orange counties during the nightly closures.

Motorists trying to travel from one county to the other are advised to use Interstates 5 and 15 and state Routes 55 and 91 as alternates.

Additionally, crews will also be conducting roadway excavation and vegetation removal nightly from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and pilot vehicles will be available to guide motorists through the construction zone, Caltrans officials said.

There may also be daytime work. When crews are on the highway, one-way flagging operations will be in effect, meaning only a single lane will be available, generally between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Travel delays can be significant, according to Caltrans.

The widening project entails a multi-stage effort intended to enhance safety along the east-west corridor.

Most of the work is focused on expanding existing lanes to 12 feet and expanding shoulders on both sides to 4 feet.

Crews are also installing in-ground rumble strips for the highway centerline and shoulders.
The upgrades are concentrated within a roughly 10-mile stretch.

The project is slated for completion in early 2025.

More information is available atdot.ca.gov/caltrans