Start of La Quinta roadwork pushed back to next week

Roadwork is now expected to start next week at what’sconsidered La Quinta’s busiest intersection.

The improvements at Highway 111 and Washington Street were originallyslated to begin today, but are still estimated to be finished by mid-November.The project will include adding lanes to improve traffic flow and to provideshorter wait times at the intersection. No full road closures are expected,according to the city.

Workers are doing survey work this week, according to city spokeswomanSarah Hahne.

The city is requiring the contractor to work as much as possible atnight. All businesses in the area are open during construction, according tothe city.

Work will include adding left-turn lanes on northbound and southboundWashington, adding right-turn lanes at the corners of the intersection in frontof the Von’s, Point Happy and Stater Bros. centers, moving back curbs andgutters and slurry sealing the intersection to rejuvenate the pavement.

Motorists wishing to avoid the area can take Jefferson Street for north-south travel and Miles Avenue or Fred Waring Drive for east-west travel.

The project is being funded by the Coachella Valley Association ofGovernments, the state and the city as part of voter-approved transportationimprovements in the Coachella Valley.