Weekend Closures Scheduled Along 15 Freeway And Ortega Highway

Several major closures scheduled along the 15 Freeway and the Ortega Highway will impact Southwest Riverside commuters this weekend, Caltrans has announced:

1. The Winchester Road offramp at the southbound 15 Freeway in Temecula will be closed beginning Friday, Aug. 2 at 11 p.m. The ramp will not reopen until 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 5.

During this period, the southbound I-15 may be reduced to three lanes, Caltrans is advising.

Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes such as Murrieta Hot Springs Road to Jefferson Avenue, or Rancho California Road to Jefferson Avenue.

The closure is part of the French Valley Parkway/Interstate-15 Over-Crossing and Interchange Improvements.

2. The Ortega Highway bridge over the 5 Freeway in San Juan Capistrano will be partially demolished this weekend.

The demolition work will take place starting Friday, August 2 at 11 p.m. and will continue to Saturday Aug. 3 at 7 a.m. Work will resume again on Saturday August 3, at 11 p.m. and conclude at 7 a.m. on Sunday, August 4, 2013.

During these hours, the Ortega Highway will be closed at the I-5 overcrossing and the freeway will be shut down in both directions at the interchange. Detours will be available.

The work along the 74 is part of the $86 million Ortega Highway improvement project.

3. As the Clinton Keith Road bridge expansion project wraps up in Wildomar, crews are doing the finishing work on freeway on- and offramps.

Expect nighttime lane closures on both the northbound and southbound sides of the 15 Freeway at the Clinton Keith Road exit Thursday Aug. 1 through Friday, Aug. 2. The freeway will remain open, and work will conclude each morning by 6 a.m.