Blasting Operation Thursday on SR 243, west of Saunders Meadow.

 Caltrans Blasting Between 

SR 243 Idyllwild & Mountain Center

 

UPDATE Aug 26 2020 

Riverside –CALTRANS will continue blasting Thursday on State Route 243 west of Saunders Meadow between Idyllwild and Mountain Center. The blasting is necessary to mitigate passage issues for trucks and large vehicles.

The operation will take place again tomorrow, Thursday, August 27, between 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M 

*All lanes will be closed during the blasting operation with no access between 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. Lane closures with flagging will still be in place tomorrow and Friday to complete the work at the slope location.

The flagging hours on Thursday are from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. and on Friday from 6:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Motorists are advised to use State Route-74 as a detour route to avoid delays.   

      

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Blasting on State Route 243   

August 25, 2020___ The Riverside-California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues work on the emergency culvert project on State Routes 243 and 74. During the assessments for emergency repairs to culverts and slopes after flooding on February 14, 2019, some boulders were identified for removal. Removal of boulders on SR 243 at post mile 2.8 west of Saunders Meadow will take place to mitigate passage issues for truck and large vehicles. 

A blasting operation will take place on Wednesday, August 26, between noon and 2:00 P.M. Mild blasting techniques will be used to dislodge the boulders from the slope. All lanes will be closed during the blasting operation with no access between noon and 2:00 P.M. Lane closures with flagging will also take place before and after the full closure from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. If the operation is not completed on Wednesday, the work will resume on Thursday, August 27, during the same hours. 

Motorists are advised to use SR-74 as a detour route to avoid delays. The culvert project is expected to be complete by the end of 2020, weather permitting. Follow us for the traffic information on Facebook and Twitter. You can plan your commute and view live traffic conditions using QuickMap and planned lane closures. 

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