Washed Out Highway 243 In San Jacinto Mountains Closed 2 Months For Emergency Repairs

IDYLLWILD (CBSLA) — State Routes 243 and 74 in the San Jacinto Mountains will remain shut down for at least another one to two months after portions of both roadways were seriously damaged, buckled or washed away by last week's heavy rains.

Caltrans announced Tuesday that Highway 243 in Riverside County will remain closed between the 10 Freeway in Banning southeast to Idyllwild for at least two months.

On Feb. 14, a powerful storm drenched Southern California, and in the process eroded away a huge section of pavement on Highway 243 near Lake Fulmore, leaving a massive precipice.

Highway 74, meanwhile, will remain closed between Valle Vista east to Mountain Center for at least one month due to similar damage, Caltrans reported.

Caltrans is paying $8 million to a contractor to do the emergency repair work on both highways.

Meanwhile, in the San Bernardino Mountains, Highway 18 will remain closed from Green Valley Lake Road to Big Bear Dam for at least two weeks.