Weeklong work is part of $146 million corridor upgrade
Cherry Valley, Calif. (Cherry Valley News) —Drivers on I-10 between Beaumont and Calimesa need to be ready for overnight lane closures from Monday, Aug. 17, as Caltrans begins phase two of a multi-year $146 million rehabilitation, broadband and safety project on the busy segment of the San Gorgonio Pass.
Alternating lane closures are scheduled for I-10 from Oak Valley Parkway in Beaumont to County Line Road in Calimesa. Work is scheduled to continue through the week as crews move traffic and conduct work in the freeway corridor.
The lane closures are scheduled to take place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.
Caltrans will not completely close the freeway but instead will utilize lane closures in the construction zone. Drivers should be aware of reduced capacity, traffic shifts, and slower travel.
Temporary striping will guide traffic to the outer lanes during construction.
Part of a larger I-10 project
This week’s overnight closures are only part of a massive rehabilitation project taking place in western Riverside County.
The roughly $146 million project stretches from the San Bernardino County line near Calimesa south to Pennsylvania Avenue in Beaumont.
Although pavement rehabilitation is a visible aspect of the project, it includes much more. Caltrans will be conducting pavement condition rehabilitation as well as upgrades to highway safety systems, broadband systems, pedestrian accessibility, guardrails, median barriers, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities.
The fiber-optic cables will be laid as part of the project, reflecting the use of fiber optic networks as part of the increasingly sophisticated intelligent transportation systems installed on major highways to manage traffic flow, communications equipment and cameras.
The goal of the project is also expanding broadband capability in the region.
Safety and accessibility improvements
A number of aspects of this project are designed to upgrade older highway infrastructure according to modern standards. Curbs within the project corridor will be upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act specifications. Similarly, guardrails and median barriers will be upgraded.
As part of its Complete Streets policy, Caltrans is incorporating bicycle and pedestrian improvements into the project as part of recognizing the need for more transportation options than motor vehicles when state highways are renovated.
These improvements are occurring as communities such as Beaumont, Calimesa and Cherry Valley continue to grow and put increased pressure on freeway interchanges and the surrounding local streets.
Pedestrian access limitations
Pedestrians will face greater impacts than motorists in several places. Pedestrian access across I-10 will be restricted during construction at the following overcrossings: Singleton Road, Brookside Avenue, San Timoteo Canyon Road and Oak Valley Parkway. This restriction will last the duration of the project rather than just during nighttime closures.
This is important information for pedestrians who usually cross the freeway in these locations. Vehicle and pedestrian access may be impacted in different ways as each phase of the construction project proceeds.
What motorists need to know about this week’s construction
Motorists traveling between Beaumont and Calimesa during the overnight construction project should anticipate increased travel time. As the closures will be alternating within the construction project limits, the exact lane configuration could vary based on how far along the construction process is within the particular part of the project. Construction signs have been posted throughout the corridor to advise motorists of the construction work zone. Be prepared for temporary lane striping, narrower lanes, construction equipment, workers working close to traffic and changing traffic configurations. Even during the day, there may be changes as a result of night time lane closures.
Long history of I-10 improvements
This project is part of a larger history of transportation improvements on I-10 through the San Gorgonio Pass. Earlier, Caltrans conducted the I-10 Tune Up Project, a roughly 20-mile pavement rehabilitation project from Beaumont towards State Route 111. This project repaired the damaged concrete slabs, conducted pavement rehabilitation, ramp improvements, guardrail upgrades, and drainage improvements, addressing the eastern portion of the Beaumont corridor. This new project is addressing the section from Beaumont towards Calimesa and the San Bernardino County line.
These projects together represent a wide set of highway improvement projects on both sides of Beaumont as agencies try to maintain an interstate that serves local commuter traffic, commercial trucks, and long distance traffic heading between the Inland Empire, San Gorgonio Pass, and the Coachella Valley.
Oak Valley Parkway and future planning
Oak Valley Parkway, which lies at the southern edge of the construction project zone, has also attracted its own planning project. Caltrans and the City of Beaumont are looking at reconstructing the I-10/Oak Valley Parkway interchange to alleviate traffic flow and meet the present and projected demand. Concepts being considered include rebuilding the freeway overcrossing, reconstruction of ramps, increase off-ramp storage, and bicycling and pedestrian improvements.
Although this is a separate project from the $146 million project, it represents the growing transportation needs in northern Beaumont where residential and commercial development is straining the freeway access and interchange capacity.
Project stretches to the county line
The northern end of this current rehabilitation project is at County Line Road in Calimesa, near the border with Riverside County. This point is important for motorists driving between Calimesa and Yucaipa.
Improvements have already taken place near this point. In 2025, the opening of the eastbound truck climbing lane extension near the Yucaipa and Calimesa area was completed as part of a $39.5 million project aimed at improving operations on the grade funded by state and local resources.
Together these efforts represent an effort to address pavement condition, safety, freight movement and traffic flow on I-10 through the western San Gorgonio Pass.
Construction to continue until 2029
The Beaumont to Calimesa rehabilitation project is a multi-year project. If the weather permits, Caltrans hopes to complete this project by fall 2029. More nighttime closures, traffic changes, and construction zones should be anticipated beyond this week. Schedules may be subject to change depending on weather, construction, or other considerations.
For Cherry Valley residents using Oak Valley Parkway, Cherry Valley Boulevard, County Line Road and other roadways that connect to I-10, the immediate impact will be nighttime delays beginning on Aug. 17.
