Ahead of the sea of ostentatious outfits and star-studded headliners is the guaranteed traffic show for both Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival weekends.
As hipsters and music-lovers head to the desert for live performances in what is arguably the most anticipated music festival of the year, the California Department of Transportation is warning motorists of severe traffic and reminding concertgoers to designate a sober driver.
Coachella falls on April 13 to April 15 and April 20 to April 22, meaning traffic on the eastbound 10 Freeway is expected to be the heaviest on the Friday of both weekends. Officials also predict that the following Monday of both weekend will be heavy on the westbound 10 Freeway.
Indio natives and visitors should prepare for the following street closures:
- Avenue 50, between Madison Street and Jackson Street;
- Avenue 49, between Hjorth Street and Monroe Street;
- Hjorth Street, between Avenue 49 and Avenue 50;
- Madison Street, between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52.
To remedy the heavy traffic, police have issued the following roads as “primary access routes” for the festival:
- Jefferson Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52;
- Washington Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52;
- Monroe Street, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52;
- Highway 111 at Jefferson Street;
- Highway 111 at Monroe Street;
- eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Jefferson Street;
- eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Monroe Street; and
- eastbound Interstate 10 exit at Washington Street.
