Both sides of Interstate 15 on the south end of Corona will be completely closed to traffic Saturday night and early Sunday morning to facilitate work on an interchange improvement project.

The southbound and northbound sides of Interstate 15 will be shut down between El Cerrito and Weirick roads, beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday, the Corona Department of Public Works announced.

The 1.5-mile closure will continue until 9 a.m. Sunday and is necessary to demolish the old Cajalco Road bridge, officials said.

Temescal Canyon Road, which parallels Interstate 15 through the construction zone, will be available as a detour for the duration of the shutdown. However, because the corridor will provide the only means of accessing the Shops at Dos Lagos Mall, traffic is expected to be exceptionally heavy.

In addition to the freeway, crews will be closing the Cajalco Road overcrossing until 10 a.m. Sunday, officials said.

The $45 million Cajalco Road Interchange Improvement Project entails replacing the existing two-lane bridge with a six-lane span, on a northerly orientation, featuring expanded shoulder and sidewalk space.

The work on the project began last summer and is nearing completion.

More information is available at i15cajalco.com/.

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