The $42.3-million Interstate 10/Jefferson Street Interchange replaced a 61-year-old interchange that couldn’t handle the 16,500 vehicles using the structure to access the towns of Indio, La Quinta and Coachella, Calif.

The interchange includes two parallel 78-ft-wide by 440-ft-long bridges, resulting in a six-lane overcrossing designed for traffic entering and exiting the area’s I-10 freeway from both directions. The new overcrossing also features dedicated turning lanes and shoulders wide enough to accommodate a bicycle lane and a sidewalk.

Crews built five entrance and exit ramps in addition to one spread footing and four mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls, one of which stands 50 ft tall and 630 ft long.

During an exploratory phase, stakeholders discovered Native American artifacts at the project site, requiring a critical cultural data-recovery process before construction could begin. Crews completed construction in four stages to maintain full functionality of the interchange, including erecting the new interchange within the existing area and placing on ramps and off ramps around traffic. To access designated areas of the project site, maintain the schedule and avoid travel impacts, crews constructed new ramps in sections while shifting traffic onto temporary ramps.

The interchange project has increased highway capacity and incorporated ramp metering, improved erosion control, added accessibility for disabled users, removed hazardous materials and installed an architectural and aesthetic treatment to help with graffiti control.

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