Octa's transportation blog

91 Express Lanes Usage Grows with Expansion in Riverside County

The 91 Express Lanes was a 10-mile fully automated expressway managed by OCTA and serving commuters between Orange and Riverside counties. In 2017, the 91 Express Lanes was extended eight additional miles into Riverside County as part of the SR-91 Corridor Improvement Project, a multi-year construction project led by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC). Customers on the 91 Express Lanes can now enjoy a total of 18 miles of seamless free-flowing traffic or enter or exit at the county line near Green River Road. 

OCTA’s traffic volume on the 91 Express Lanes has increased an average 14.5 percent since RCTC opened its segment of the lanes.  OCTA generally experiences higher traffic volumes in the eastbound direction, whereas RCTC has higher westbound traffic volumes.

Overall, the number of express lanes accounts and transponders has increased by more than 13 percent since the additional lanes opened.

In May, the California Transportation Foundation awarded RCTC the Freeway/Expressway Project of the Year for its SR-91 Corridor Improvement Project, which included the 91 Express Lanes extension. Recognizing the close partnership between the two agencies, RCTC Board Member and SR-91 Advisory Committee Chair Karen Spiegel shared the award with OCTA Director Tim Shaw at a recent SR-91 Advisory Committee meeting. Learn more about the 91 Express Lanes here.