Corona’s Ontario Avenue widening reaches 90% design review, with right-of-way work next

Corona’s Ontario Avenue widening project is in 90% design review, but construction has not started. The City says the next major step is right-of-way work involving appraisals, negotiations and the acquisition of easements or property needed for the proposed improvements.

Corona anticipates completing the design phase in summer 2026, completing right-of-way work in late 2026 or early 2027, and moving into construction in early 2027. Those are planned targets, not final construction commitments.

What the project would change

The project area extends along Ontario Avenue from Via Pacifica to Vicentia Avenue, with related improvements on Lincoln Avenue from Ontario Avenue to Othello Lane.

The proposed widening would affect the south side of Ontario Avenue between Lincoln Avenue and Conejo Street, increasing that segment from four lanes to six. The project also calls for ADA-compliant sidewalks, curb ramps, dedicated bike lanes, streetlights, raised landscape medians and drainage improvements.

Traffic-signal work would include modifications at Ontario Avenue and Lincoln Avenue and a proposed signal system at Lincoln Avenue and Othello Lane. The City says the project is intended to address congestion, traffic capacity, pedestrian mobility and safety in the area; those are stated project purposes, not independently measured outcomes reported on the project page.

The latest conceptual rendering is not a final construction layout. The City says it remains subject to change as the final design progresses.

What 90% design means

A 90% design-review stage means the engineering plans are substantially developed and undergoing additional review. It does not mean construction has begun, all right-of-way needs have been resolved or the plans can no longer change.

For drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, the milestone indicates that the project is farther along than it was during early planning. It does not, by itself, announce immediate lane closures, detours or access restrictions.

Property and easement work comes next

The City has initiated the right-of-way phase. According to the project materials, that work includes appraising, negotiating and acquiring the easements or property necessary to carry out the proposed improvements.

Corona anticipates completing the right-of-way phase in late 2026 or early 2027. The available project information does not identify any specific property as acquired, so nearby owners and businesses should view this as an upcoming process rather than a completed acquisition.

Residents and businesses near Ontario Avenue and Lincoln Avenue should watch for future City updates about design completion, right-of-way contacts and construction scheduling. The current 90% milestone alone is not a basis for assuming that closures or access changes are imminent.

Contract amendment added design funding

On August 20, 2025, Corona City Council approved an amendment adding $105,594 for additional design services and extending the engineering agreement through April 4, 2028.

The additional work covers project-related design development, plan production, bidding support and engineering assistance during later stages. The extended agreement does not mean construction will continue through April 4, 2028; it establishes a longer term for design and related engineering support.

What commuters should expect

For now, commuters should expect preparation and right-of-way activity rather than active construction. If the City’s current schedule holds, construction is planned to begin in early 2027 after the right-of-way phase is completed.

The planned changes would add vehicle capacity while also addressing sidewalks, ADA access, bicycle facilities, lighting, drainage and traffic signals. The next meaningful public milestones are design completion, updates on right-of-way work and formal construction notices.

Sources

Discover more from Interactive News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.