Know Before You Go: Palm Desert Intersection Almost Done, Tahquitz Canyon Paving Nears the Finish Line

It's time for Know Before You Go, our weekly look at construction around the Coachella Valley so you can plan your drive and avoid getting stuck in traffic. CV Sync Traffic Program Manager Kris Gunterson joined us live in studio to break down what's happening this week, and yes, it's hard to believe July is almost over.

Palm Desert: Cook Street and Frank Sinatra

This intersection was supposed to wrap up already, but Gunterson says crews still had paving left to finish on the northwest corner as of Friday, so that work has pushed into this week. Once it's done, the project is complete, and Gunterson says drivers can celebrate that intersection finally being finished.

If you want to avoid the area in the meantime, Gunterson says to use Washington Street or Portola Avenue as alternates.

Palm Springs: Tahquitz Canyon Paving

Over in Palm Springs, the paving project on Tahquitz Canyon Way is wrapping up too, at least for now. The section from Sunrise Way to Indian Canyon Drive is fully paved, and crews will spend this week raising utility covers back up to street level and repainting striping. Expect intermittent lane closures while that work continues.

To avoid the slowdown, Gunterson says to take Amado Road to the north or Ramon Road to the south. The eastern stretch of Tahquitz Canyon, from Sunrise Way to El Cielo Road, is set to start sometime in the middle of August, so expect that section to get messy again in a few weeks. Gunterson says more exact dates are coming as CV Sync gets them.

Palm Springs: Via Escuela Signal and South Palm Canyon Bridge

Two more Palm Springs projects are moving along. At Via Escuela and Indian Canyon Drive, crews poured the foundation for a new traffic signal pole. That concrete needs about a week or more to cure before the poles can go up, so Gunterson says to stay tuned for updates once a pole delivery date is set.

The South Palm Canyon Bridge project is also progressing nicely, and Gunterson says it's on track to wrap up this fall. Traffic remains down to one lane in each direction across the bridge in the meantime. If you want to skip it, Belardo Road offers a few different ways around.

Safety Tip of the Week

This week's reminder: it's illegal to hold your phone while driving, even at a red light. Gunterson recommends picking up a phone mount for your dash or windshield, magnetic or suction, so your phone stays hands free and within reach for navigation. If you don't need it, put it away.

For live updates on all Valley road projects, head to CV Sync.