Major Roadway Improvements To Start On I-10 In Beaumont, Banning

BEAUMONT, CA — Good news for Pass Area motorists. Some long-needed repairs are on the way to the region's main thoroughfare in the form of a rehabilitation project on Interstate 10, between Beaumont and the Palm Springs area.

Caltrans officials announced Monday that work will officially start Feb. 10 on the $210 million "Interstate 10 (I-10) Tune Up, Pavement Rehabilitation Project," with some preliminary work in the center median beginning Feb. 3.

The project — which entails replacing various road slabs in the two left-most lanes, repaving the two right-most lanes, upgrading the on and off ramps and improving the center median guardrail system — is expected to last through the end of 2022.

"The first 5-mile segment of the project will be from Pennsylvania Ave. in Beaumont to Hargrave Street in Banning," Caltrans said in a news release. "In this segment, the contractor will remove vegetation and guardrail as well as restripe lanes on both sides the interstate in preparation from the center median cross-over lane."

A major chunk of the funding, $116 million, for the project comes from Senate Bill 1, officials said.