Riverside County construction managers described major milestones completed on the Harupa Road grade separation project and outlined a phased path to full opening in 2027, while Jurupa Valley council members pressed the county on delays, cost increases and outreach to local businesses.

John Aslock, construction division manager for Riverside County, told the council the project — which lowers Harupa Road beneath Van Buren Boulevard and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks — aims to remove the at‑grade train crossing, improve safety and increase vehicle and train throughput. Aslock listed recently finished work including an extension of a box culvert (the “fly channel”), an arch culvert under railroad tracks, installation of temporary railroad tracks to the west and construction of a new traffic signal at Carupa and Pedley. He said the temporary track installation was about 70% complete and that the county expects to have trains shifted to the temporary alignment by the end of the year.

Aslock described a phased construction schedule: the county plans to finish temporary track relocation, begin construction of the first phase of the Union Pacific Railroad bridge in spring 2026, and complete final connections and road opening in 2027. “We expect to have it completed with trains moved over to the new tracks by the end of this year,” Aslock said about the temporary track work, and noted the permanent track construction and bridge phases will extend the timeline into 2026–27.

Andrea Suarez, the county’s public outreach director on the project, provided an update on communications and business outreach. Suarez said the project team maintains weekly notifications to 443 residents and businesses who have opted into updates, conducts targeted outreach to 23 named stakeholders (including the city, school district and emergency services) and has run modest social‑media advertising. She reported that a recent ad buy of $200 reached roughly 16,000 people and generated about 7,200 video views.

Council members and members of the public pressed county staff about two recurring issues: (1) the project’s cost and schedule overruns and (2) the rules governing “business goodwill” or business assistance. One council member said the delays and escalating cost were “unacceptable” and asked the county what steps it is taking to better manage scheduling on major projects; Aslock said the project remains on schedule for the 2027 completion date but acknowledged the work is complex and depends on railroad approvals. Another council member asked whether county or state fund rules could be loosened to expand the geographic area or eligibility for business assistance; county staff said they would consult the right‑of‑way team and return with information, but that some limits stem from state rules tied to public funding.

County staff also reiterated technical details important to residents: the railroad works alternate shifts and can have multi‑day gaps in visible activity while nonetheless meeting hourly totals, and certain final storm drain and roadway tie‑ins cannot be completed until final track and grade work is finished.

Why this matters: the grade‑separation is one of the largest infrastructure projects affecting Jurupa Valley in years. It aims to eliminate a dangerous at‑grade crossing and increase travel reliability, but adjacent businesses and residents remain concerned about prolonged construction impacts and eligibility for assistance. County officials said they will continue quarterly updates and remain open to additional outreach requests from the council.