More than a week after the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel battered communities along the Salton Sea, the California Department of Transportation has begun an estimated $4.2 million emergency project to repair damaged sections of Highway 111.
The storm triggered flooding, washouts and debris flows along Highway 111, which resulted in severe erosion, weakened embankments, blocked drainage systems and damaged guardrails and road signs, Caltrans recently said in a news release.
Where and when to expect construction on Highway 111
Crews are scheduled to repair the storm's damage along Highway 111 between Crooker Drive and Vander Veer Road from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, weather permitting.
One-way traffic restrictions near the Mecca Beach Campground are expected to remain in effect
through Nov. 30, according to Caltrans' QuickMap traffic monitoring system, which can be accessed at quickmap.dot.ca.gov.
During that time, the washed-out sections of the highway will be reconstructed, damaged drainage systems and guardrails will be repaired or replaced, and crews will stabilize eroded embankments and clear storm debris from drainage basins and beneath bridges.
Signs will alert drivers to construction ahead, and the California Highway Patrol will assist with traffic control.
North Shore residents recover from widespread storm damage
When the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel swept through North Shore, floodwaters carried fences down streets, damaged homes and left several roads buried beneath dirt and rocks.
North Shore was among the hardest-hit areas in Riverside County. Some residents said the storm caused worse damage than the remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary in August 2023.
Vanessa Avila woke up during the storm to find her street flooded. By Tuesday, Oct. 13, most of her home's foundation was gone, and she could see water flowing through it, she previously told The Desert Sun. Her air conditioning also wasn't working due to the flooding.
"It washed up everybody's stuff," she said. "Most of my plants got washed up too, sadly."
The storm brought about 2.5 inches of rain to parts of North Shore and Mecca — far exceeding the half-inch that had been forecast, Shane Reichardt, a spokesperson for the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, said in a video posted by Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez.
"That much more rain than anticipated — it's really hard for anyone to prepare," Reichardt said. "The desert just doesn't deal with water. It needs somewhere to go. It takes the sand and rocks."
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: $4.2M in repairs underway along Highway 111 near Salton Sea after tropical storm
