Heavy traffic heading to freeway on Monterey Ave during rush hour
Several closed roads due to the aftermath of Tropical Storm Hilary is still causing traffic backups throughout the Valley.
People trying to get back into their daily routines are having to find alternate routes.
At the Monterey and Dinah Shore intersection in Palm Desert, cars waiting bumper to bumper in all directions on Tuesday afternoon.
Traffic at one point backed up for up to 3 miles.
“People are getting angry. Waiting at the lights and they're all starting to go through red lights. It's dangerous," said Orange County resident Katherine Topor. Topor and her husband are getting ready to drive back home, but wish there was another way."
"It's first time being on the I-10 since the rain and I'm surprised how much flooding there's been a lot of dirt and sand. We got off here to get gas and I'm already devising another way to get back. Not these roads are way too backed up," she said.
Monterey Avenue has become one of the only accessible way to the Interstate 10 for people traveling from Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.
Many drivers were trying to maneuver new routes, after the storm shut down major roads.
“It was kind of scary. I didn't see a whole lot until we got out because we stayed home obviously because of it. And then when we got out the next few days, I couldn't believe it like a lot of the trees and the road closures and the mud," said Teresa Forrester of Rancho Mirage.
After a couple of days of clean up, Vista Chino at the wash in Palm Springs reopened on Tuesday.
Some roads are still being impacted by the storm’s aftermath.
It was bad news for one Palm Springs resident traveling out of the Valley.
“We were trying to get back on the highway to go to Los Angeles. And Waze was directing us and through this path," said Brant Griffin. "We decided to take a left here and got a little bit worse as we progressed. And then obviously sudden we realized we were in about three feet of mud and couldn't get anywhere.”
Griffin was stranded in the mud with other drivers and had no other choice than to wait it out.
“The car was stuck. Fortunately, there was some people out there was that were very friendly and they gave us a ride back to Palm Springs," he explained. "They scraped nearly all the mud off the streets, of which there was about three to four feet in maybe the deepest areas.”
After hours of digging, he’ll finally be able get back on the roads once again.
“If all goes well, if they continue to evacuate this mud will. We'll be on the road in a couple of hours," said Griffin.
It's a reminder to avoid those flooded and muddy roads.
For your morning and afternoon commute tomorrow, it’s best to keep to give yourself extra time to get where you need to go.
