Festival Season is Here: Road Closures, Construction Deadlines, and Heavy Traffic Ahead for the Coachella Valley

It's time for Know Before You Go, where we break down the week's major road projects so you can plan ahead and avoid the delays. 

Cathedral City: E. Palm Canyon Drive Near Van Fleet

Crews are in the final stretch of a road widening project along E. Palm Canyon Drive near Van Fleet Avenue, and Gunterson says work is set to wrap up by Friday, April 3, just ahead of the festival rush. This week, expect heavy equipment in the area as crews finish paving, complete sidewalk work, and raise utility manhole covers.

Westbound traffic is most affected, with the roadway down to one lane. Gunterson says drivers heading westbound should take a right onto Date Palm Drive and a quick left on Perez Road to get around the congestion. Eastbound traffic is moving smoothly.

Palm Springs: South Palm Canyon Bridge

Starting this Monday morning, crews are beginning a new phase of work on the South Palm Canyon Bridge project. Demolition of the eastern span of the bridge gets underway at 7 a.m. and is expected to last approximately four weeks, with crews on site Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Expect increased noise in the area and heavy equipment traveling in and out of the work zone throughout the demolition period. Stage 2 traffic control remains in place, so follow posted signage or use alternate routes when possible. 

Indio: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival

The clock is ticking, and Gunterson says there's a mad dash right now to get construction projects finished before Coachella traffic descends on the valley. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place at the Empire Polo Club on April 10-12 and April 17-19, and Stagecoach Country Music Festival follows on April 24-26.

If you drive near the festival grounds regularly, take note: Avenue 50 between Monroe Street and Madison Avenue is already closed as of March 23 and will remain closed through Monday, May 4. The City of Indio says this closure is in place to protect the safety of workers, residents, and commuters. Alternate routes include Highway 111, Dr. Carreon Boulevard, Avenue 48, and Avenue 52.

During each festival weekend, starting Friday through Monday, additional road closures will go into effect around the polo grounds. Avenue 49 between Hjorth Street and Monroe Street, Avenue 50 between Madison Street and Jackson Street, Hjorth Street between Avenues 49 and 50, and Madison Street between Avenues 49 and 52 will all be closed to through traffic.

Gunterson says the three corridors that take the hardest hit each festival weekend are Jefferson Street, Monroe Street, and Washington Street, all southbound from the 10 Freeway down to Avenue 52. Thursday mornings are especially heavy as campers arrive early to get settled in before the weekend. Fridays are among the busiest days overall, with late-arriving campers and concert-goers picking up wristbands at the tennis gardens combining to create heavy volume. Then on Monday mornings, more than 40,000 campers clear out of the area at once, and Gunterson says that's the window to either change your route or change your schedule altogether.

For north-south travel around the festival area, use Washington Street, Jackson Street, Calhoun Street, or Golf Center Parkway. For east-west travel, Highway 111, Fred Waring Drive, Miles Avenue, Dr. Carreon Boulevard, and Avenue 54 are your best options. Gunterson will have more specific timing details for festival traffic next week, including updates from Indio Police Department on changes being made for this year's events.

Whatever roads you're taking this week, slow down, put the phone down, and leave yourself extra time. Festival season brings tens of thousands of extra drivers into the valley, so a little planning goes a long way. For the latest traffic updates and road conditions across the Coachella Valley, visit CV Sync athttps://www.cv-sync.com/.