Indian Canyon Drive in Desert Hot Springs reopening after 8-month closure for storm damage
North Indian Canyon Drive in Desert Hot Springs is reopening Friday evening after being closed for more than eight months due to damage from Hilary, the major storm that hit the Coachella Valley in August.
Valley residents are used to weather events like rain and strong winds causing temporary closures, including from blowing sand. But Hilary dumped more than three inches of rain in one day that roadways like North Indian Canyon Drive were unprepared for. Several roads in Desert Hot Springs were buried in mud and unrecognizable.
Deputy City Manager Doria Wilms said North Indian Canyon Drive, between Mission Lakes and Pierson boulevards, will be open again as of Friday at 5 p.m. She said the city had quite an undertaking with the cost of repairs, and had to do things properly in order to qualify for reimbursements.
"So it certainly has been a long time coming, but we are glad that we were able to get all the costs reimbursed and and get this road finally open and Dillon Road not far behind," Wilms said.
The repairs for North Indian Canyon Drive cost $4.9 million, according to Assistant City Manager and City Engineer Daniel Porras. They cost $650,000 for Pierson Boulevard, $1.9 million for Little Morongo Road and $2 million for Dillon Road.
In total, the city had $9.45 million in damages. Porras said in an email that the Federal Highway Administration approved the city for emergency federal reimbursement for the majority of the cost, which has a procedure that could take one to four years.
"The city has been diligently working with FHWA to secure the approval and the timing of the reimbursements," he said.
Dillon Road is the only one of these roads that will remain closed after Friday. Wilms estimated it would reopen in the next couple of weeks.
Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Indian Canyon Drive in Desert Hot Springs reopening after 8 months
