New portion of Newport Bridge to open Nov. 22

The next phase of construction on the Newport Road freeway interchange will take place Nov. 22, when the new south portion of the bridge will be open to traffic, the City of Menifee announced today.

When that takes place, two lanes of eastbound traffic will be open on that portion of the bridge and two lanes of westbound traffic will be open on the original bridge, which currently handles all traffic both ways. The bridge eventually will be six lanes wide once a cement pour is completed in early December to join the two portions of the bridge. Meanwhile, the center portion of the bridge will be closed while preparations for that concrete pour takes place.