Westbound 91 freeway commuters can expect some relief with the opening of an additional general purpose lane running for 2-miles along a serious choke point, from the Green River Road in Corona to the 241 Toll Road interchange in Anaheim Hills.
The lane opened for traffic on January 7.
Construction of the new lane began in November 2020, and was completed in four years. In terms of government infrastructure building, that counts as moving at light speed.
The expeditious manner in which the lane was constructed is all the more remarkable considering it was only authorized in December 2018.
The lane addition had its genesis in pressure from Corona residents for meaningful mitigation of congestion on the 91 Freeway. A $1.4 billion project in 2017 adding carpool and toll lanes fell short of expectation in terms of relief, and made off-freeway congestion worse as motorists abandoned the 91 Freeway to make their way home via residential streets.
Wes Speake ran for Corona City Council in 2018 promising to tackle freeway congestion. Prior to his election, he met with Ned Ibrahim, a civil engineer who has been Corona’s assistant public works director.
On a napkin, Ibrahim drew a rough picture of the westbound lane now under construction, noting it was originally to be part of the 91 makeover but was eliminated — along with other features — because of cost concerns.
“I’m really glad that it’s getting done finally,” Ibrahim said. “It’s really actually a small piece of a bigger puzzle. But, as I have always said, it is a critical piece.”
The lane was originally part of the 2017 project but had been dropped over cost concerns.
Speake and Corona residents mounted a sustained – and ultimately successful – lobbying effort to add the westbound lane, and the $29 million project was authorized by the Riverside County Transportation Commission in late 2018 – going from a sketch on a napkin to an operating general purpose lane in four years.
“The better the freeway functions,” Speake told the PE.com, “The more people are going to stay off city streets.”
