Eastbound lanes of 210 Freeway still closed for construction on San Gabriel River Bridge
An extended closure of the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway continued Monday as Caltrans crews continued construction on the San Gabriel River Bridge.
The five-day closure, which began at 10 p.m. Wednesday evening, is the second phase of construction on the bridge and part of the $30 million project to upgrade the San Gabriel River Bridge, installing improved bridge hinges and railings and strengthening bridge decks.
It is expected to fully reopen at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The construction required crews to fully close all eastbound lanes of the freeway between Irwindale Avenue and the 605 Freeway so they could work freely. This is the second such instance, after Caltrans closed the opposite side of the freeway in July.
Though close to completion, traffic officials still advised commuters to avoid the area if they could, instead opting to use the 10 or 60 Freeways for their morning drives.
For those drivers unable to skip out on that specific portion of the drive, they're still able to use the 210 Freeway, though were advised of major traffic delays as they were diverted onto westbound lanes. The traditionally six-lane stretch of highway was separated into three lanes heading in opposite directions.
Crews strongly suggested avoiding using surface streets in Irwindale as well, since they weren't constructed to accommodate such a heavy flow of vehicles, meaning even more extensive backups in the area.
Public transportation or work from home options were also suggestions for those who could.
On Sunday, Caltrans District 7 tweeted that crews had poured the final concrete for the bridge decks. They expected work to be completed on schedule.
