Plan on taking alternate routes to and from Phelan for about three weeks as crews perform major roadwork on Beekley Road.
Road crews will begin work on Beekely Road beginning October 25 through November 19, 2021. The road will be closed entirely between Highway 138 and some point south of Nielson Road. Drivers are being asked to use Sheep Creek Road and Phelan Road to travel through the Phelan area.
According to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Works, the road work is required as part of the new gas station construction at the corner of Highway 138 and Beekley and is a developer-initiated project. The project may only take two weeks to complete. However, project planners have built in an extra week and a contingency in weather or other construction delays. The proposed plans include three lanes on the southbound side of the road (heading towards Hwy 138). One right turn lane, one through traffic/left turn lane, and one left turn only lane at the intersection. Additionally, a center median will allow northbound traffic to safely turn into the gas station while allowing through traffic to continue towards Phelan. There are two entrances planned for the property, both on Beekley, one near the intersection and the other closer to Hermosa Road.
Beekley has become the major thoroughfare for locals to travel to and from Wrightwood and San Bernardino. It is one of three roads in the area that have access to Highway 138. Recently traffic at the intersection of Hwy 138 has increased significantly and even more so since area schools have started in-class lessons, which require buses and parents to pick up and drop off children at local schools. Once the construction is completed, it is expected that traffic congestion should be relieved.
During the road closure, the only alternate routes are Sheep Creek Road and Phelan Road. Due to past traffic safety issues with Sheep Creek and Highway 138, travelers can only exit Highway 138 onto Sheep Creek. Phelan Road is the only other access point through Phelan. While allowing traffic to and from Phelan, that intersection is a notoriously difficult intersection to navigate because of the angle at which Phelan Road intersects with Highway 138. Rather than connecting at a 90-degree angle, it comes in at about a 45-degree angle, making it nearly impossible to see westbound traffic on Highway 138. Vehicles heading to Wrightwood or San Bernardino have to make an extremely tight left-hand turn while hoping the westbound traffic heading downhill will stop at the signal. No doubt, drivers will attempt to navigate dirt roads to try and find a shortcut, this has time and again proven difficult as roads in the are rough and some very sandy causing vehicles to get stuck and underserved congestion for residents who live on these roads. Most of these roads do not connect with Highway 138 and for those that do, expect CHP and local law enforcement to be on the lookout.
