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Recent Jefferson ramp closures causing headaches for drivers, but work almost done

Drivers that are encountering some traffic at the Jefferson Street/I-10 interchange have to go a couple of miles in either direction for the nearest next exit because of ramp closures. The ramp is back open but residents say they hope to see it stay open real soon.

“This has been pretty hectic sometimes,” said Pedro Lara, who lives in Indio.

Lara has lived in Indio on and off for about 20 years, overlooking the I-10 freeway & Jefferson interchange.

“I moved back here 5 months now and ever since then, it’s been the same,” Lara said.

Lara said the freeway will sometimes be open, but other times it will be closed down.

“Whenever I’ve got to go do stuff and get on the freeway, I’ve got to take Country Club. or something like that, and I have to take that road. It’s just a hassle,” Lara said.

Project managers said the closures have been for work being done after a groundbreaking ceremony three months ago.

“The major work was to rebuild the westbound on-ramp and the eastbound off-ramp,” said Dennis Green, Outreach Coordinator for the Jefferson Street Interchange Project.

Officials say one reason for the closures here at the Jefferson interchange has been due to issues with construction.

“When you have high temperatures, you don’t pour concrete when you have 100-plus temperatures, because you run the risk of the concrete drying out to quickly and cracking,” Green said.

But Green and others are asking for patience, hoping to put those like Lara back on track.

“People can get a move on with their lives and move on with things and you never know in an emergency if someone needs to take that road, take that road, and now they can move along freely,” Lara said.

Green added some of the work being done right now is striping on the road. He says they expect the project to be fully completed with no more closures next Thursday, once Caltrans gives the final approval.

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