Stagecoach Arrives Thursday: What Coachella Valley Commuters Need to Know

It's time for Know Before You Go, and this week's segment comes with a little irony. CV Sync Traffic Program Manager Kris Gunterson was supposed to join us on Monday, but he got stuck in Coachella Festival traffic on his way to the office. The valley's traffic expert, caught in valley traffic. He made it in on Tuesday, and he's got everything you need to know before Stagecoach takes over the roads.

STAGECOACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Indio: Empire Polo Grounds, Jefferson, Monroe, and Washington Streets

Time to dust off those boots. Stagecoach Country Music Festival kicks off this weekend at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, and the traffic buildup begins Thursday morning, well before the first act takes the stage.

Gunterson says campers will start rolling in as early as 6 a.m. Thursday, primarily along Jefferson Street and Monroe Street. The good news is that most of them will be parked and off the roads by early afternoon. Give those corridors a wide berth Thursday morning if you can, and expect larger vehicles than you'd typically see during Coachella, since Stagecoach draws a big RV crowd.

Friday through Sunday, expect heavy traffic along those same corridors, with Washington Street near the Indian Wells Tennis Garden seeing especially congested conditions. Wristband pickup there gets busy starting around 1 p.m. Friday and stays heavy through about 6 p.m., tapering off as the weekend goes on.

MONDAY GETAWAY: WATCH INTERSTATE 10 Indio to Palm Springs: I-10 Westbound

Monday is the big exodus. Gunterson says outbound traffic on Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe will be moving from around 8 a.m. through noon, and it'll move more slowly than usual because of all the RVs and larger festival vehicles. Here's the pro tip: if you're heading west on Interstate 10, get on the freeway before 8 a.m. After that, expect it to be congested for most of the day. Gunterson says if you can't leave early, pack a lunch or just stay home and wait it out.

Gunterson's safety tip this week: give everyone a wide berth. Shuttles, RVs, and oversized festival vehicles will be sharing local streets all weekend. Stay visible in their mirrors and give them room to maneuver.

For live traffic conditions throughout the festival, visitcv-sync.com.