alleymon Ortega Highway closure forces long detour
Even those who live or work in construction zone must approach area through Lake Elsinore.
By JOHN McDONALD The Orange County Register
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO: Repairs of storm damage to Ortega (74) Highway have begun, and the roadway has been closed at Antonio Parkway/La Pata Avenue even to people who live or work in the construction zone, Caltrans said Monday.
It was expected to take about seven more days to repair the road, an important artery through the Cleveland National Forest between south Orange County and the Inland Empire. The highway has been closed to most travel since portions were undermined or washed away during heavy rains Jan. 8-9.
The California Highway Patrol had been escorting people who live east of the closure and those who work at the Nichols Institute, a clinical testing laboratory owned by New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics. As of Monday, however, those people must detour through Lake Elsinore at the eastern end of the highway.
Alternate routes to the Lake Elsinore area were expected to add 40 to 55 miles or up to 90 minutes to the trip from Orange County.
Northbound, the recommended detour is the San Diego (I-5) Freeway north to the northbound Costa Mesa (55) Freeway, to the eastbound Riverside (91) Freeway, to the southbound Corona (I-15) Freeway, to the westbound Ortega Highway in Lake Elsinore. The detour to the south is the San Diego (I-5) Freeway south to eastbound State Route 76 or SR78, to the northbound I-15, to westbound Ortega Highway.
CHP officials also said Monday that Carbon Canyon Road is open from Brea to the San Bernardino County line but is closed at Cannon Lane, near Western Hills Country Club in San Bernardino County.
Updated information can be obtained at (714) 990-7732.