Demolition of old Scott Road bridge happens Nov. 15-16

This view of the new Scott Road bridge shows an area of bridge barrier that still must be completed. Photos courtesy of City of Menifee

The next major step in construction of the Scott Road Interchange is the demolition of the old bridge, which will take place Nov. 15-16. The new bridge across the 215 Freeway will be closed during nighttime hours that Friday and Saturday, with traffic re-directed to Newport Road, according to a City of Menifee news release. Exact times have not been announced. Freeway traffic will be diverted off the freeway at Scott Road and back onto the freeway on the other side of the bridge.

The old bridge, which stands directly south of the new wider bridge, must be demolished before completion of the looping southbound on-ramp and looping northbound off-ramp can be completed, said Lucas Rathe, resident engineer for DHS Consulting, the construction manager of the project, in an earlier interview with Menifee 24/7. Rathe also explained that the old bridge could not be incorporated into any expansion with the new bridge because state regulations for new freeway bridges now require an increase in height. That's why you will notice that the new bridge is about four feet higher than the old one.

There are no planned closures before the Nov. 15-16 project, officials said. The old bridge will be taken down in sections.

For more information, visit the city's website on the project here.

Crews pour concrete on the new southbound on-ramp loop, which will be open to motorists in the next three weeks.