Highway 111 is getting a big upgrade and it'll cause an entire year of lane closures and traffic delays

A nearly 1.5-mile improvement project is on its way to a busy Indio road, but it's elaborate enough to cause almost an entire year of lane closures and traffic delays.

Highway 111 is being upgraded between Rubidoux and Madison streets beginning in January, the city announced. The $11.5 million project is scheduled to wrap up by November 2018.

The biggest change is likely the addition of a third lane in each direction, making Highway 111 a six-lane road.

The extra lane should be put to good use, considering about 23,000 vehicles are on that stretch each day, according to the Coachella Valley Association of Government's valleywide traffic count.

READ MORE: Palm Springs gets grant to improve South Palm Canyon Drive

Remaining improvements include new pavement, traffic signals, driveways, drainage, ramps and sidewalks. More specifically, all six traffic signals and nearly all 60 driveways are being upgraded.

The bulk of the project -- nearly $9 million - is covered by federal and CVAG contributions, but about $1.5 million is covered by Measure X funds.

Last year, voters approved the 1-percentage-point increase in the city’s sales tax rate, raising it from 8 percent to 9 percent. Revenue goes toward infrastructure projects.

A construction company should be hired by October and work should begin just after the New Year, according to the city.

Construction will take place in sections to minimize impacts to traffic and businesses, and all work will be suspended during the April music festivals.

This week, in Rancho Mirage

Rancho Mirage's citywide resurfacing project continues on different roads each week. Here is the upcoming schedule:

Wednesday and Thursday: Magnesia Falls, Cholla Lane, Venus Drive, Saturn Circle, Mirage Cove, Stellar Drive and Monterey Avenue between Frank Sinatra and Country Club drives

Friday: Southbound Monterey between Gerald Ford and Frank Sinatra drives, and the northbound right lanes on Morningside Drive from Country Club to Frank Sinatra

City staff encourages drivers to use alternate routes or drive cautiously through work zones.

READ MORE: Last year's pedestrian fatality rate was 3 percent of statewide deaths

Lane closures and traffic delays

Northbound traffic is reduced to one lane this week on South Palm Canyon, between South Via Entrada and East Morongo Road, in Palm Springs for a Southern California Gas Company project. Lane closures are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The left lane on northbound Monterey Avenue is closed between Dick Kelly and Dinah Shore drives 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in Palm Desert

An Avenue 46 closure between Madison and Clinton streets continues through this week in Indio for a Valley Sanitary District project.

A repaving project will delay traffic on Hovley Lane East between Cook and Washington streets in Palm Desert 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays until Sept. 29.

Landscape and irrigation work will affect northbound Indian Canyon Drive at San Rafael Drive 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sept. 21 in Palm Springs.

Evening paving work is happening on Highway 111 between Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope drives, and on Gerald Ford Drive between Bob Hope and Monterey Avenue in Rancho Mirage.

Traffic is reduced to one lane in both directions 24 hours per day between Cactus City and Highway 177 on Interstate 10 for an improvement project.

McCallum Way is being paved between Landau Boulevard and Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City. Also, 30th Avenue is being paved between Landau and Da Vall Drive.

The Road Warrior column runs every Monday in The Desert Sun. Reach the author at colin.atagi@desertsun.com and @tdscolinatagi on Twitter.