Indio transportation projects get nearly $4 million in regional funding, Monroe Interchange Project up for major grant

One of the city’s most talked about projects could receive a $30 million grant.

The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) approved nearly $4 million in additional regional funding for three major transportation projects in Indio at its Nov. 3 meeting.

The funding approvals include $1.95 million for the Jefferson Street Widening Project from Avenue 38 to Sun City Boulevard and another $1.94 million for the Avenue 50 Widening Project from Jefferson Street to Jackson Street. Also on the agenda, discussion of a major grant and an important extension for the Monroe Street Interchange Project.

The Jefferson Street project will widen the existing two-lane and four-lane roadway to four and six lanes.

The Avenue 50 project will improve the roadway between Jefferson Street and Jackson Street to a four-lane boulevard with two lanes in each direction, including sidewalks and bike lanes. Construction on Phase 1 of this project, from Jefferson Street to Madison Street should start in May 2026.

CVAG also approved an amendment that extends the deadline for construction to begin on the major Monroe Street Interchange project to Dec. 31, 2026 due to right-of-way and utility delays. The project is a major reconstruction and widening of freeway on- and off- ramps including additional through lanes and turn lanes.

The project’s current estimate is $175 million, and it is scheduled to advertise for construction next fall with an anticipated completion in summer 2028.

Indio Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes, who sits on the CVAG Transportation Committee, shared at Wednesday’s City Council meeting that the city anticipates receiving an additional $30 million for the Monroe interchange project.

“That was absolutely the best news I think I’ve heard in a long time, because we definitely need that for the Monroe Street interchange,” she said. “We all know that Monroe and Jackson are just so heavily impacted and with the costs rising and so on and so forth, we can use that extra $30 million.”

Riverside County and the city of Indio submitted a funding request to the Southern California Association of Governments for the Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Programs. Funding award recommendations will be presented to the SCAG Regional Council by December.