I-10 Emergency Plans Get Another Look After Deadly Accidents

Interstate 10 is the lifeline for people in and out of the Coachella Valley.

Any closures can cause major traffic headaches.

Many valley residents got stuck in a major traffic jam back on December 1st — following a deadly big rig accident on I-10 in Whitewater.

The clean-up, which included a toxic spill, combined with the investigation — traffic stretched for miles — and for hours into the night — after another deadly crash.

Drivers were frustrated, not knowing about alternate routes or that there had even been a closure.

The Coachella Valley Association of Governments has come under fire because no action was taken, in regards to its emergency I-10 closure plan.

There are arguments the plan would have improved communication between emergency crews and kept traffic moving.

But CVAG leaders say the plan would not have helped.

“It involves alternate routes in the Coachella Valley, not in the Banning CHP area where this incident occurred,” said Tom Kirk, executive director for CVAG. “I believe the incident was handled just about as well as it could have been.”

The CHP says it knew about CVAG’s plan, but has its own freeway closure guidelines for the Banning pass.

But Kirk admits CVAG’s plan — put together two years ago — has not been well-advertised.

He wants to change that — which includes working with Caltrans to put up electronic traffic alert signs along the freeway.

“When you think about the next disaster, it could be as small as a big rig on I-10. Or as big as a flood or earthquake,” said Kirk. “I-10 is absolutely critical. We’ve got to do our best to figure out a way for people to get in and out of the Coachella Valley when there is an emergency. We could do a better job.”