Banning, Beaumont Traffic Alert: Expect Congested Freeway As Coachella Fans Pass Through

BEAUMONT, CA - Scores of music lovers were heading into the desert on Friday as the second and final weekend of the 2017 installment of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival gets underway. Some 125,000 people are expected at the Empire Polo Grounds, which means anyone in the area should be prepared for extra traffic.

Traffic began building up Thursday as festival goers made their way into the desert to set up their camping spots. However, the bulk of the congestion was expected Friday morning on Interstate 10 between Beaumont and Indio, according to Caltrans, who urged drivers to also look out for heavy traffic Sunday afternoon through Monday night. Drivers were also advised to map out alternate routes just in case, including state Route 62 and state Route 74.

In addition, the northbound 15 Freeway at Duncan Canyon in Fontana will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday, possibly forcing drivers to take alternate routes nearby and exacerbating traffic in the area.

Gates for Coachella opened at 11 a.m. Friday. The event runs through late Sunday at the Empire Polo Grounds, 81800 Avenue 51.

Traffic is again expected to be bad in the area on Monday, as the festival revelers head home.

– City News Service contributed to this report / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone