Grand Boulevard closure causing headaches for drivers in Corona

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) -- Corona drivers dealt with another major road closure. This time East Grand Boulevard was shut down where it intersects the 91 Freeway.

The closure, which is part of the "91 Steer Clear" campaign, was scheduled to remain in effect until Monday.

"Our message is to hang in there with us, we know it's tough. We know this has really been a challenge. This project is a massive project," Anne Mayer with the Riverside County Transportation Commission said.

Those who drive the 91 freeway through the area know it as the "Corona Crawl." But with the closure of East Grand Boulevard underneath the freeway, drivers were forced one after the other to make a U-turn at the closure.

But Mayer said the overall construction project will ease traffic woes in the long run, as the Fas Trak toll roads in Orange County are extended to the 15 Freeway and an extra lane is added to the freeway for non-toll users.

Corona residents will also see a benefit as well.

"We are rebuilding all of the access points in and out of the city of Corona, so the residents of Corona will be able to get on the freeway easier and off the freeway easier, so we think this project has something in it for everyone," Mayer explained.

The county conducted a survey to see about an alternate route to the 91 Freeway. The county said the cost to bore a tunnel through the hills of the Cleveland National Forest would be nearly $20 billion and would take 10 years.