Know Before You Go: Head Trip Festival Closes Roads Near Indio's Polo Grounds

It's time for Know Before You Go, where we break down the biggest road projects in the valley each week so you can plan ahead and avoid getting stuck in traffic. This week, CV Sync Traffic Program Manager Kris Gunterson brought a guest, Jim Curtis, community services manager with the City of Indio, because on top of the usual construction, a brand new festival is rolling into town.

Palm Desert: Monterey Avenue Paving

Crews are still repaving Monterey Avenue from the Interstate 10 overpass to Gerald Ford Drive, and they're now working at the intersection on curbs and gutters. Gunterson says plenty of drivers are still heading that way anyway, so expect a busy stretch for at least a few more weeks.

The project should wrap up sometime in October. Until then, Gunterson suggests using Cook Street instead, and telling a friend to do the same.

Rancho Mirage: Bob Hope Drive Asphalt Replacement

Starting Monday, Oct. 12, the city will repave the outside lane of Bob Hope Drive at Dinah Shore Drive. Southbound Bob Hope will be down to one lane through Oct. 23.

Gunterson says the work itself shouldn't be too disruptive, but combined with the Monterey project just down the road, it adds up. That means Bob Hope isn't the best detour for Monterey once this starts, so plan a different route if you're heading that direction. Consider this your first heads up, with more details next week.

Indio: Head Trip Music Festival

Head Trip, Goldenvoice's new electronic music festival, takes over the Empire Polo Club Saturday and Sunday, with campers arriving Friday afternoon. Curtis expects about 70,000 people, a bit smaller than Stagecoach or Coachella.

Avenue 50 is already closed between Madison Street and Monroe Street so crews can safely move heavy equipment into the polo grounds. Curtis says it stays closed until about 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, and reopens in time for the Monday morning commute on Oct. 19. Gunterson recommends Avenue 48 or Avenue 52 to get around it.

New this time, the city will close Monroe Street between Avenue 50 and Avenue 52 on Saturday and Sunday only. Curtis says the closure is for safety and security, and the city is treating it as a test run that could carry over to the April festivals if it goes well.

Parking opens at 1 p.m. and gates open at 3 p.m., with the first act going on around 4 or 4:30 p.m. Expect the heaviest arrival traffic around 2 to 3 p.m. both days on Jefferson Street, Monroe Street, Jackson Street and Avenue 52, with festival traffic on Monroe routing around the closed section.

Saturday's show ends at 1 a.m. Sunday morning, and Sunday's wraps at midnight. Departing traffic will use the same roads in reverse. Gunterson says his team will be working the event on site and running special signal timing to push traffic out to the freeway as fast as possible, so if you're waiting on a side street late at night, expect a longer wait for a green light than usual.

If you live or run a business in the area and can't get in or out, call the city's festival hotline at 760-391-4112.

Safety Tip

Gunterson's advice this week: avoid the area around the polo grounds during arrival and exit times if you can, and if you can't, stay alert for heavy car and foot traffic. For the latest road updates, visit CV Sync.