Southern California Edison updates city on Riverside Transmission Reliability construction in Jurupa Valley

Southern California Edison and its contractor told the Jurupa Valley City Council on Sept. 18 that construction of the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) is under way in the city and is on a multi‑phase schedule through 2026.

During a 20‑minute staff presentation, Eileen Flores of Southern California Edison described RTRP as a joint project with Riverside Public Utilities that SCE received approval to construct to improve reliability for Riverside. Gary Hoffman, construction manager for Burns & McDonnell working under SCE, described large pieces of precast vault infrastructure and deep trenching being installed along Wineville, Pat’s Ranch Road and 60 Eighth Street.

The council was told the vaults are roughly 10 feet tall and as long as 54 feet, and that trenches up to about 16 feet deep are being dug. Hoffman said sandy soils in portions of the city require wider traffic‑control closures and shoring to protect workers and nearby traffic. He said crews are using concrete K‑rail and other measures to keep equipment away from moving vehicles and to reduce the risk of a trench collapse affecting traffic.

Flores said SCE has coordinated with city staff, the public works department, the school district and local agencies. She said the project team has provided door‑to‑door notices to Vernola Marketplace businesses, translated notices into Spanish, maintains a project hotline and posts monthly updates to the RTRP project website. Hoffman added that most field crews are local hires and that the contractor sources large precast pieces from a Fontana supplier.

Council members asked about impacts to signal timing and whether work would interrupt school access. Hoffman said the team has worked with Riverside County traffic staff to preserve signal timing where possible, and that principal and district staff at Vander Mullen Elementary have coordinated to avoid work during pick‑up and drop‑off windows. Flores said the team avoided work in front of Vander Mullen during the school year and plans some construction in the school’s three‑week winter break window.

On methods, Hoffman said the project currently uses open trenching and that negotiations are in progress with Riverside County Flood Control about possible trenchless methods at selected crossings. Flores said tentative planning calls for larger trenching work around Belgrave and Wineville this winter and into 2026, with the project generally expected to finish around August 2026.

Council members asked SCE to return with quarterly updates to keep the council and community informed. Flores agreed to post the presentation to the project website and send the council the slide deck.

The city manager and staff thanked the SCE team for ongoing coordination and outreach. The project is subject to prior California Public Utilities Commission authorization and approvals noted by presenters during the update.