Lake Elsinore City Manager Apologizes For Traffic Delays On Railroad Canyon Road

Officials with the City of Lake Elsinore say they are working to alleviate traffic jams on Railroad Canyon Road, and an apology has been issued regarding recent backups on the busy street.

The following statement about the issue from Lake Elsinore City Manager Grant Yates was issued Jan. 22:

“On behalf of the City of Lake Elsinore, I would like apologize for the lengthy delays along the Railroad Canyon/Diamond Drive corridor this past week. 

"On Wednesday, January 15, the City began the installation of a signal communication upgrade project on this intersection. Unfortunately, problems with this project led to unforeseeable glitches and unexpected delays. While the City responded as quickly as possible, the poor signal timing caused significant backup for travelers along Railroad Canyon Road. The City has been in constant communication with Caltrans’ Traffic Operation team and an interim fix is now in place to reduce congestion. Meanwhile, Caltrans, County and City representatives will be meeting on Friday, January 24 to resolve any remaining technical issues that the system is still experiencing. 

"Alleviating congestion and planning for future improvements along the Railroad Canyon/Diamond Drive corridor is one the City’s top priorities. We are working diligently with our regional partners to explore short and long-term solutions for this roadway. 

"The signal communication upgrade project is a critical first step to monitor and reduce some of the daily congestion commuters experience along this corridor. It will include a new coordinated signal timing plan and remote communication capabilities between the intersections and City Hall, which will allow the city to more readily monitor and correct timing issues in this intersection. The project is expected to be completed in the coming month. In the interim, if you should notice an unusual backup in this intersection at any time, you may contact our traffic engineer at rbeardsley@lake-elsinore.org.”