Hammond Road/70th Avenue Bike Lanes Project

The County of Riverside Transportation Department is implementing the Hammond Road and 70th Avenue Bike Lanes Project to improve roadway safety and accessibility. The project involves widening Hammond Road and 70th Avenue by a total of 18 feet, adding 9 feet to each side to create 5-foot-wide bike lanes with 4-foot-wide buffers. The scope of work extends from the intersection of Hammond Road and 2nd Street in the north to 70th Avenue and Sea View Way in the southeast, located near the unincorporated community of Mecca. Key infrastructure work includes widening an existing bridge over the Wasteway No. 1 Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel east of Cleveland Street, along with necessary roadway safety and maintenance improvements. Construction is estimated to take approximately 16 months, beginning with linear grubbing and land clearing on September 1, 2026, and concluding with paving by December 31, 2027. The project has been cleared under the California Environmental Quality Act with a Mitigated Negative Declaration, confirming no significant environmental effects. Compliance requirements include the development of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan via the SMARTS system, a comprehensive Traffic Control Plan, and a Paleontological Mitigation Plan prior to ground disturbance. Additionally, the contractor must adhere to strict noise control measures for all internal combustion equipment and comply with regulations from the USFWS, CDFW, and RWQCBs regarding biological and water resources.