Interstate 10 Closed in Indio Monday Into Tuesday
A stretch of Interstate 10 through Indio will be closed in both directions Monday night and early Tuesday to accommodate crews installing a utility pole and power lines.
Starting about 11 p.m. Monday, the freeway will be closed between Jefferson and Monroe streets, and all lanes are expected to reopen about 5 a.m. Tuesday.
“We’re hoping it’ll go smoothly — we’re not expecting any issues or troubles,” Darin Cooke of Caltrans said.
The utility pole will go north of the freeway, and crews will pull new power lines across it, Caltrans spokeswoman Michelle Profant said.
Westbound traffic will be taken off the freeway at Monroe and directed north to Avenue 42. Detoured traffic will continue west on Avenue 42 and Varner Road to Jefferson, where it will be routed back to the interstate, Profant said.
Eastbound traffic will be taken off the freeway at Jefferson Street and routed onto Indio Boulevard. Traffic will continue east on Indio Boulevard to Monroe Street, where it will be directed north.
Traffic will continue north on Monroe Street, then back to Interstate 10. Eastbound traffic can continue east on Indio Boulevard to Jackson Street, where signs will direct motorists north to eastbound Interstate 10, Profant said.
Monroe and Jefferson streets may be closed to cross traffic while the detours are in effect, Profant said.
Cooke said that in light of the massive traffic jam Feb. 12 that backed up westbound traffic from Banning to the Coachella Valley, Caltrans has tried to get information to the public about closures quickly.
“We get things out as soon as we can,” he said. “We use Twitter a lot.”
Caltrans District 8 director Raymond Wolfe also attended a public forum Thursday in Rancho Mirage about Interstate 10 traffic. Caltrans drew criticism after the Feb. 12 jam and later issued a public apology.
Lanes prepared for paving were closed, but no work was being done because paving crews were unable to get the needed paving material from a supplier on time.
