Discussion Over Connecting Portola Rd. & I-10 Not Happening Soon

As visitors head to Palm Desert for the event, traffic is expected to increase. Tonight we’ve learned that the long-planned interchange project to connect Portola Road to Interstate 10 in Palm Desert isn’t happening anytime soon. The City of Palm Desert has recently made infrastructure improvements in that area, including taking Portola almost right up to the freeway, and plans were announced back in 2018 to build an interchange there. But it turns out right now it’s just not financially feasible. Palm Desert’s City Manager explains those project types are expensive, and are normally funded through the city, county, state, and federal money. Right now, the federal government is focused on improving existing roads and infrastructure, not building more.