Cal Trans delays on SR 74 today

This notice was just received.

An accident involving a fuel spill occurred yesterday on SR 74 at the Vista
Point (about 6 miles above Palm Desert). Caltrans Maintenance crews along
with a hazardous material contractor will be cleaning up the residual today
from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. As a result flagging will be necessary at this
location.

Motorists are advised to take an alternate route if possible to avoid
delays.

Gilman Spring Road ramps closed to SR 60

The eastbound and westbound on and off-ramps at SR-60 and Gilman Springs Road are closed due to an on-going law enforcement investigation. Law Enforcement has advised they will be closed until further notice.

Cal Trans emergency warning for eastern Riverside County

Motorists traveling between the Arizona state line to Riverside or San Bernardino counties are advised to stay on Interstates 10 and 40.

Do not use routes 95, 177, 62 or 111.

Route 95 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties is subject to closure.

Slow moving on Hwy 74 next two weeks

Idyllwild commuters to Hemet and west might be interested in the following information that Cal Trans just sent.

Cal Trans will be conducting maintenance work on Highway 74 over the next two weeks. On Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Sept 7 to 20, there will be flagging on Hwy. 74 between Cranston Station and State Route 243 (Mountain Center). Cal Trans and Cal Fire will be doing landscape work.

I assume its more likely related to fire abatement than highway beautification, despite Lady Bird’s urging.

Future delays driving Hwy 243

Beginning Monday, July 25 through the end of August, CAL TRANS will be do maintenance on Highway 243 from Saunders Meadow Rd to Black Mountain Road.

The maintenance work will occur from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.on days during this period and they estimate delays could be up to 15 minutes due to flagging at various locations.

Hwy 74 locally okay, but damage in and near Orange Cty

From CalTrans:

State Route 74 in Riverside and Orange Counties was damaged over
the weekend by the storm. There are two locations where the
route sustained slipouts: One just below the "Dome House" or post
mile 9.6 in Riverside County (Caltrans District 8), and one between
the "Candy Store" and San Antonio in Orange County (Caltrans District 12).

Orange County Update:
Damage to the location in Orange County is now under emergency
contract and the completion date is unknown at this time. Below are
the hours the route will be open to through traffic by direction only
(to accommodate commuter traffic):

Eastbound traffic will be given access between 2:30 pm and
5:30 am until further notice.

Westbound traffic will be given access between 6:00 am to
2:00 pm until further notice.

For future updates to the emergency repairs on the Orange County
section of Hwy 74, please contact Caltrans District 12, Public Affairs,
at (949) 724-2000 or go to Facebook under "Caltransdistrict12".


Riverside Update:
There is no emergency contract for the Riverside location of
damage. Maintenance crews will be working to make repairs
tomorrow, Tuesday, March 22, from 8:30 to approximately noon.
During this time the route will be under one way traffic control.
These repairs are expected to be completed tomorrow.

Snow!! not spring

For those of you who awoke to a nice warm spring rain. Enjoy, count some blessings because we in Idyllwild are still in the midst of winter. At least 4 inches of snow covered my deck this morning and it is still coming down.

Here is the National Weather Service outlook for today and the week:

Today: Snow showers likely. Some thunder is also possible. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight: A chance of rain and snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Tuesday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. West wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a low around 31.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.

Friday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29.

Saturday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 46.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

Oh yes, I forgot the CalTRANS warning:

Chains are required on all commercial vehicles (trucks or buses). All other vehicles (cars, pick-ups, vans, etc.) must have either snow tread tires or chains on the drive axle.

Weather this week

Cal Trans warning today at noon:

HIGHWAY	STATUS	REASON	DURATION
All chain restrictions have been lifted – but snow is expected for tomorrow Tuesday, November 23rd – you must carry chains in your vehicle if traveling to mountain areas – it’s the law…	No chain restrictions at this time.		Until next storm.

National Weather Service Forecast (1:11 pm PST Nov 22, 2010)

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 37. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday: A slight chance of rain showers before 10am, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. West wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 46.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 27.

Cal Trans chain advice

This is from Cal Trans.

Mountain Travel in Winter Weather

Winter weather is expected this weekend in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains. That means it’s time to start carrying chains when traveling in mountain areas. The different levels of chain control are described below.

Snow chains can be purchased at discount, sporting goods, and auto parts

stores. Remember, mountain weather can change dramatically on very short notice.

CHAIN CONTROL REQUIREMENT LEVELS:

R-1: Chains are required on all commercial vehicles (trucks or buses). All other vehicles (cars, pick-ups, vans, etc.) must have either snow tread tires or chains on the drive axle.

R-2: Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel drives with snow tread tires. Four-wheel drive vehicles must carry chains in the vehicle.

R-3: Chains required - ALL VEHICLES - no exceptions.

Hwy 243 maintenace Next week

Cal Trans is planning maintenance work on Highway 243 next week (Nov. 10 and 12). see below for the details.

Wed & Fri Nov 10 & 12

SR-243 from Poppet Flats to Twin Pines (below Idyllwild)

Flagging

8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Drain repair

Traffic restrictions Hwys 74 & 371

Road construction on Highway 74 at the intersection with Highway 371 will impede traffic beginning next week and continuing for about eight weeks.

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 30, Cal Trans will be adding a left turn lane from Hwy. 74 to Hwy 371 in the west bound lane (coming from Palm Desert) and pavement improvement.

From 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, traffic will be restricted to one way with a flagger.

The $400,000 project is estimated to take about eight weeks, according to Shelli Lombard, Cal Trans.

Attentin Garnver Valley readers

Corridor Management Planning Process underway for Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

By Beth Nottley, Staff Reporter

Wednesday's meeting is about the Palms to Pines Scenic byway, not the Cal Trans tree proposal!

Public meetings are scheduled next week to garner citizen input to complete a Corridor Management Plan (CMP) for the State-designated Palms to Pines Scenic Highway. A CMP is a written plan developed by the communities along a scenic byway that outlines how to protect and enhance the byway’s intrinsic qualities and character that define their byway corridor. The Palms to Pines Scenic Byway follows a 67-mile route on State Highways 74 and 243 from Palm Desert to Banning.

The CMP planning process will include representatives from the Forest Service, State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans and members of local communities. It is expected that the planning process will take a year to complete, with a Draft Corridor Management Plan completion scheduled for June 2011.

All interested community members are invited to attend the community meetings, which are designed to provide a forum for discussion, question and answer, voicing of concerns, and arrival to a common vision for the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway.

The meetings will be held on Wednesday, July 28: 10:30 a.m. in Idyllwild at the Forest Service office; 1:30 p.m. at the Garner Valley Commons; and 4:30 p.m. at the Pinyon Fire Station.

NWS sees an end, bundle up & Cal Trans notice

.THE LAST IN A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL BRING
PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL TO THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
FRIDAY.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-118 PM PST THU JAN 21 2010

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST FRIDAY.

PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL ABOVE 6000 FEET
THIS AFTERNOON...AND 4000 FEET TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.
TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 2 TO 4 FEET IS POSSIBLE ABOVE
6000 FEET...AND 1 TO 2 FEET BETWEEN 4500 AND 6000 FEET.
AREAS OF SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
45 MPH WILL CAUSE NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY
IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

Cal Trans has not closed any local highways, R-1 requires
chains on all commercial vehicles
r
   

SR-74 from
 Mountain Center to Pinyon D
   
   
R-1
   
   
   
Snow
   
   
   
Until further notice
   
  
  
   
   
SR-243   from SR-74 to Lake Fulmor (Idyllwild)
   
   
   
R-1
   
   
   
Snow
   
   
   
Until further notice
   
  
  
   
   
SR-371   from Anza to SR-74
   
   
   
R-1
   
   
   
Snow
   
   
   
Until further notice
   
  
 

SR 60 Avoid this week end

Per the Cal Trans notification, those of you who go to riverside or LA, might consider an alternative route home.

Please encourage your customers to avoid eastbound SR-60 in Moreno Valley
this weekend. Use I-10 east for detour.

UPDATE

Please make plans to avoid EASTBOUND SR-60

this weekend in the Moreno Valley area.

State route 60

emergency WEEKEND closure

Moreno Valley – Caltrans will begin an emergency project to reconstruct the bridge girder on eastbound SR-60 at Moreno Beach Drive as a result of being hit by an oversized load. In order to complete the bridge repairs a full freeway closure on the eastbound side is necessary. This emergency repair work should be completed over the weekend. Also, please keep in mind that ongoing construction in the vicinity has the eastbound SR-60 connector to eastbound I-10 reduced to one lane. Traffic in this area can become very congested, especially on weekends. Caltrans recommends using alternate routes for travel east of Calimesa.

LOCATION	DATE	TIME	CLOSURE
Eastbound SR 60 Moreno Beach Drive, Moreno Valley	Friday, 1/8, 8 pm to Monday, 1/11, 5 am	Friday, 8 pm until Monday, 5 am	FULL CLOSURE (eastbound direction only) Detours signs will be posted.

Motorists are advised to know before you go and choose alternate routes before you travel. USE I-10 TO TRAVEL EAST OF THE PROJECT LOCATION. Efforts are being made to accelerate the work and reopen the highway as soon as possible.

If you travel to the project limits you may be directed back westbound on SR-60 to alternate routes.

Detour signs will be posted throughout the project limits for your convenience. Visit www.caltrans8.info for information on other Caltrans, District 8 projects.