The westbound 60 Freeway between Riverside and Ontario is scheduled to shut down again this weekend as part of a resurfacing project that began three months ago and will require several additional weekend-long closures in November.
For the fifth consecutive weekend, a full closure is planned on the westbound 60, beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, between the 60/91/215 interchange in Riverside and Interstate 15 in Ontario, roughly 13 miles. The closure is not slated to be lifted until 5 a.m. Monday.
The 55-hour shutdown replicates what occurred over eight weekends on the eastbound side. Those closures started July 26 and concluded Sept. 23.
The westbound closures will continue another two weekends, ending Nov. 18. Caltrans noted that work will be suspended for Veterans Day weekend, as it was paused to accommodate Labor Day weekend travel on the eastbound side.
The agency's objective is to have all the freeway closures finished before Thanksgiving.
Officials said the rehabilitation work, which entails replacing slabs of degraded pavement, is moving twice as fast because of the closures, dubbed the "60 Swarm'' in reference to multiple projects occurring over the next two years along the 60 freeway. Altogether, the swarm covers a 20-mile stretch from Chino to downtown Riverside.
In addition to the shutdowns, intermittent and extended lane closures are occurring in the construction zone, between Euclid Avenue in Ontario and the 60/91/215. Part of the Interstate 15/Route 60 interchange in Ontario is being reconfigured for the swarm, as well.
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Single-lane closures began 13 weeks ago in several locations and will wrap up in November 2021, when the $134-million-pavement-replacement project is slated to conclude, according to Caltrans.
The other part of the 60 Swarm is composed of bridge replacements, costing $23 million. According to Caltrans, the Benson Avenue, Monte Vista Avenue and Pipeline Avenue overcrossings in Chino are all due to be razed and replaced with new spans. Alternating eastbound and westbound lane closures for the bridge work started 12 weeks ago.
Most of the overnight closures are occurring between Ramona Avenue and Reservoir Street in Chino.
Officials said the current bridges were constructed with dimensions that make them prone to being bumped by oversized truck loads. Over the years, the repeated minor hits have had a cumulative impact, requiring the two-lane bridges to be replaced.
More information is available at www.60Swarm.com, or via the 60 Swarm hotline: 833-607-9276.
