$48 million SR-62 road construction project set to begin next week

The initial stages of a road construction project set for more than 20 miles of state Route 62 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties will begin next week, and Caltrans urged motorists to brace for future delays.

The $48 million project will see a new layer of pavement placed on two major segments of SR-62. The first is from Indian Canyon Drive near Desert Hot Springs to roughly Yucca Mesa Road in Yucca Valley. The work will pick up again in Twentynine Palms, from Bermuda Avenue to near Utah Trail Work is set to wrap up in the summer of 2023.

Emily Leinen of Caltrans said the skipped section in Joshua Tree is expected to be part of a future project, but did not elaborate.

San Bernardino-based Matich Corp. crews are scheduled to begin placing signage and doing utility work between Bermuda and Athol avenues in Twentynine Palms during the daytime hours on Monday.

The project will eventually include temporary lane closures, but Leinen said it was unclear when those will begin.

Flagging operations will eventually be deployed along certain two-lane segments of roadway, which will cause significant traffic congestion. Motorists should also expect some four-lane segments to be reduced to one lane in either direction at times.

Crews are also expected to shut down certain sidewalks and connecting streets along the project route on occasion.

Along with new pavement, the thoroughfare will be getting new raised curb medians, new stretches of sidewalks and reconstructed curb ramps compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

New road striping and signage are also in the plans. Certain traffic signals will also be upgraded with new pedestrian-friendly improvements.

Current plans only call for work during the weekdays, but the contractor has the right to work on weekends if needed, according to Caltrans.