Skanska, working for the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), in partnership with Caltrans, recently completed the 71/91 Interchange Project and opened the new Corona interchange to motorists earlier this summer on August 21st. The new two-lane direct connector replaced the existing single-lane loop connector in Riverside County’s most heavily traveled corridor. In addition, the newly realigned eastbound 91 Green River Road on-ramp now provides direct access to the new northbound 71 connector and eastbound 91 general purpose lanes.
The Skanska crews completed the eastbound 91 to northbound 71 connector ahead of schedule.
Construction of the 71/91 Interchange Project began in January 2023. As part of the project, crews built a new eastbound 91 to northbound 71 connector bridge spanning over the 91 and Santa Ana River. Crews also constructed a new eastbound 91 auxiliary lane for improved access and merging with the new connector.
During construction, crews excavated 400,000 cubic yards of existing roadway, integrated more than nine million pounds of rebar into the concrete construction, and poured more than 36,000 cubic yards of concrete in the project. The new connector rises to an impressive height of 100 feet and extends almost half a mile – 2,500 feet in length, featuring new Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP).
To support the new elevated connector, Cast-In-Drilled Hole concrete piles up to 120 feet long and 13 feet in diameter were installed.
Cast-In-Drilled Hole (CIDH) concrete piles supporting the connector are deep foundation elements formed by drilling a borehole into the ground, inserting a steel reinforcing cage, and then filling the hole with concrete.
The concrete work reached tens of thousands of cubic yards across multiple Caltrans mix families, including mass concrete for large bents, below, and connector elements. Crews embedded thermal sensors and used insulated blankets to control heat of hydration and avoid thermal cracking. Daily placements commonly ran 800 to 1,400 cubic yards.
Critical reinforcement of the 71/91 Connector is provided by the Bent 6 CIDH cage on the left that weighs more than 200,000 pounds, and the erected Bent 5 CIDH column cage on the right.
The new, non-tolled connector is designed to improve safety, expand access to other modes of travel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance traffic flow – providing long-lasting benefits to Riverside County residents and the greater southern California region, especially the residents of the Corona, Chino, and Chino Hills communities. The project will also support continued movement through this area by native wildlife such as mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes.
Improving Safety and Access
Funding for the $137 million project was provided by federal, state, and local sources, including Measure A, the voter-approved sales tax measure for transportation improvements in Riverside County. The delivery of this project further advances RCTC’s goal to improve mobility for the people of Riverside County.