Pearblossom Highway rebuild to begin Sept. 16, delays and detours expected

PALMDALE –The city of Palmdale and Los Angeles County will begin the first phase of construction work on Pearblossom Highway on Monday, Sept. 16.

The work will begin on Segment 2 of the project and will take place from approximately 33rd Street East to 45th Street East. Traffic will be moved to the north side of the roadway and will be limited to one lane in each direction of travel during this phase of construction, which is expected to be completed by spring of 2020.

Turning movements at 33rd Street East, 41st Street East, and Rodeo Street will be restricted to right turns only. Additionally, there will be no access to and from Pearblossom Highway at Valley Springs Road, 42nd Street East, and 43rd Street East, but detours will be posted. All turning movements at 37th Street East and 40th Street East will be allowed at this point of construction.

Motorists are encouraged to take alternate routes. Autos may take Avenue S or any east/west arterial north of Pearblossom Highway, while trucks will remain on designated truck routes. Another optional route for autos traveling east/west is Mt. Emma Road.

The entire project, called the Pearblossom Highway Rebuild Project (PHRP), will completely rebuild a 3.2 mile stretch of Pearblossom Highway from the California Aqueduct Bridge at Old Nadeau Road to 55th Street East. Over 34,000 vehicles travel this roadway daily, including many heavy trucks, which puts tremendous stress on the pavement. Over time this stress and other factors have deteriorated the road, leading to cracks, potholes, and poor ride quality.

The PHRP will provide a new, smooth driving surface on this roadway and additional improvements. Project features include:

• Removal of the existing pavement and construction of a new, long-lasting road, within existing pavement limits, designed to support the daily traffic.
• Intersection improvements, such as new signal equipment, new pedestrian / equestrian push-button systems, new or upgraded ADA-compliant curb ramps, and new ladder-style crosswalks.
• Changes to current traffic patterns that will enhance safety and traffic flow at 25th St East / Barrel Springs Rd and 30th St East.
• Installation of a 2,100-foot median barrier between 25th St East / Barrel Springs Rd and 30th St East to help prevent head-on traffic collisions.

Following completion of the first phase and weather-permitting, construction will continue immediately on Segment 3. Segment 3 will run from 45th Street East to 55th Street East, and then Segment 1 will be from the California Aqueduct Bridge at Old Nadeau Road to 33rd Street East. The entire project may take up to a year to complete, including construction breaks during the winter months.

For more information, visit www.PearblossomRebuild.com or call 855-211-2200. To receive email updates, text PEARBLOSSOM to 22828.

[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]

–