As the Coachella Valley heads into the new year, KESQ News Channel 3 is looking at some of the notable events, and new projects people will want to know about, city by city. You can see them all on News Channel 3 at 6:00 p.m. tonight. There’s a lot to get to, but here’s a preview.
DESERT HOT SPRINGS
Desert Hot Springs is set to spend approximately $17 million state grant dollars for road safety improvements on Palm Drive between Interstate 10 to Camino Aventura and on Hacienda Avenue from Fox Dale to Long Canyon. Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas said the improvements will add a lot of safety infrastructure. “More bike lanes, more street lights, more sidewalks and to widen the roads in some areas,” Matas said.
PALM SPRINGS
A new much-talked-about, controversial, but most people also admit much-needed Homeless Navigation center will begin offering 70 units of housing for individuals and families by mid-year.
Palm Springs Mayor Grace Garner said, “So we should see a difference in people getting help and seeing fewer people living in our streets and in our parks. The City says nearly 100 affordable housing units will also open in 2023.
CATHEDRAL CITY
In Cathedral City, construction will begin on a new $8.5 million dollar park in the Dream Homes neighborhood next to the CV Link.
Charlie McClendon, Cathedral City City Manager said, “Improvement in an area that’s underserved in terms of parks and we’re excited to see that happen.”
RANCHO MIRAGE
In Rancho Mirage– Look forward to new events and returning favorites including the Rancho Mirage Speaker Series with its Legends of Sports Series this month and the Writers Festival. The PGA Champions Tour kicks off in March with the newly arrived Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club. And Sensei Porcupine Creek, the new six-star wellness retreat owned by Larry Elison will be welcoming guests from around the world.
PALM DESERT
In Palm Desert, the focus is on growth in education, housing, and public amenities. $79 million state dollars are earmarked for the CSUSB Palm Desert campus. Nearly 4,000 homes are currently in the development pipeline including more than 800 affordable housing units—also a new regional park in North Palm Desert.
INDIAN WELLS
Indian Wells is excited about a number of completed, ongoing, and future infrastructure initiatives, energy efficiency projects, and an all-hours city golf driving range. Also planned is a new Sprouts Farmers Market and Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in late 2023, and a new resort-style development at Highway 111 and Miles Avenue.
LA QUINTA
In La Quinta, the City will be working in the new year to determine what it will take to move utilities underground– and at what cost throughout the City.
Jon McMillen, La Quinta’s City Manager, said, “What we want to do here is look at it, determine the costs, and figure out a 20 to 30-year plan to make it happen.”
It’s also actively pursuing strategic properties for the restoration of existing housing or for affordable housing. With the defeat of Measure A, the City will continue to prohibit new STVR permits, except for homes in exempted areas.
INDIO
In Indio, residents will see a host of new changes including two large College of the Desert buildings taking shape. A new fire station will be part of a new public safety campus project. And construction will move forward on a new city hall and public library downtown. There’s also $10 million dollars in street paving, a facade improvement program for downtown and Highway 111, and construction of the new John Nobles Memorial Park.
COACHELLA
The City of Coachella is tackling housing with the completion of three new single-family communities and new affordable housing options. Also new park and public services are being offered including Bagdouma Park Improvements and the Library Annex rehab on 7th Street.
COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments says you will notice its CV Sinc in 2023. The CV Sinc is synchronization of traffic signal lights along major travel arteries.
Executive Director Tom Kirk said, “It better mean that driving from one end of the valley to the other should take a lot less time.”
Highway 111, Washington Street, and Ramon Road corridors should go live in March with 21 other corridors to follow– all monitored and signals synchronized by computers in this new regional traffic center.
CVAG also continues to work on the CV Link. Kirk says work will be underway to extend the path in Coachella and work should be completed on a new Palm Springs segment. Supporters say the CV Link is like the Interstate 10 of the Coachella Valley’s biking network.
This is only a partial listing of the events and projects that will take shape around the Coachella Valley in 2023. See Jeff Stahl’s full report at 6:00 p.m. on News Channel 3 and come back to read the complete report with addendums containing each city’s complete response you can read for yourself here at KESQ.com.