On Aug. 28, Riverside County issued a report on ongoing road condition improvements in Coachella Valley, as cleanup teams work diligently to advance repairs in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Hilary. The storm brought some of the worst flooding in county history.
“This is the most costly natural disaster in county history, with the damage sitting at an estimated $126 million, and the vast amount of damage in the Coachella Valley,” said Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, according to a report from the county. “The damage to our roads has been severe. Our transportation department has been out in force to clear the roads for access, but recovery and ultimately the repair and reopening of all roads will continue to take some time.”
On Aug. 28, Riverside County provided an update on roadway conditions across the Coachella Valley as RivCo transportation crews continue to make progress on clean-up and repair efforts on several major county roadways in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Hilary.
Thousand Palms Canyon Road, connecting Thousand Palms with Indio Hills and Sky Valley, is presently shut down between Dillon Road and Ramon Road, per the report. The county is actively engaged in repairing this stretch, aiming to reopen it by the week's end, specifically by Friday, Sept. 1. In Thousand Palms, Rio Del Sol Road remains closed due to water accumulation just north of Varner Road within Cathedral City, with the City of Cathedral City managing the closure. There is no established timeline for reopening as of now. Furthermore, Box Canyon Road, situated between Mecca and Interstate 10 near Chiriaco Summit, is inaccessible between the All-American Canal and Interstate 10. Repair work for this segment is scheduled to commence this week, but an exact reopening schedule has not yet been determined.
Included in the update were road conditions in the Desert Hot Springs area, which has several ongoing road closures and repair initiatives. While the county segments of North Indian Canyon Drive are accessible, a specific portion between Mission Lakes Boulevard and Pierson Boulevard within the City of Desert Hot Springs remains shut down due to a washed-out section caused by Mission Creek. Unfortunately, there is no established reopening date for this stretch. Additionally, Little Morongo Road is currently off-limits between Dillon Road and 15th Avenue, a shared roadway with the City of Desert Hot Springs, as it suffered damage from Mission Creek's flooding. Discussions between the county and the city are underway today to determine the initiation of required repairs. Another affected road, Worsley Road, is inaccessible south of N. Indian Canyon Drive due to a washed-out area at Mission Creek. Repair work for Worsley Road is slated to commence this week, though an exact reopening timeline has not been set. Furthermore, Mission Creek Road, located west of the City of Desert Hot Springs, is presently closed, and no specific date has been determined for its reopening.
Additionally, in the Thermal and Oasis communities, Harrison Street between Avenue 58 and Avenue 66 is closed due to downed powerlines. According to the county, this section of road will be reopened once the Imperial Irrigation District completes its repair work. However, a timeframe for reopening has not yet been determined.
According to the county, roadway status information is "may change several times throughout the day." For the most up-to-date information on road closures, visit the emergency closure webpage: However, city roadway closures are not listed, and any questions related to city roadways should be directed to the respective city.