Hwy 111 Construction In La Quinta Hurting Local Business
LA QUINTA- Traffic is down to one lane in each direction along Highway 111 west of Washington Street as crews widen the roadway.It’ll be that way for the next several months, and businesses say it’s affecting their sales.The construction is adding on an extra 10 to 15 minutes to some commutes.
The La Quinta Cliff House relies on people being able to get into the restaurant parking lot. Chros Howe, the manager of the restaurant, says the owners put up their own signs saying where they’re at because people were just driving by.The city is doing the construction at the slowest time for tourism, but for drivers who drive the stretch of highway each day, it’s a headache.
Anne Alexander is a real estate agent andspends countless hours driving through the construction area.
“You can get into the businesses but it’s hard finding a way out,” Alexander said.”I drove into theCircle K coming from the east but nowI can’t turn right.”
No left turns are allowed on or off of Highway 111.The way you came in probably won’t be the way you leave.
Rock clearing crewsspent thewhole night working on the project clearing the loose rock from the side of the mountain.Workers say it’s the trickiestpart of the widening work.
City EngineerTim Jonasson says, “We are trying to make it safe for the drivers, keeping the closures down only as long as we need them. Then, it’ll besix lanes and traffic will be nice”.
The $1.2 million construction project is financed by Measure A,the 1/2 cent sales tax.Thelane closures and constructionare expected to lastuntil the middle of November.
