June 20 Daily Briefing: Bridge building timeline explained, why local hills are now pink, and more

Welcome to Thursday, everyone! If you haven’t read the latest major media piece on the 26-foot-tall Marilyn Monroe statue that dominates Museum Way in Downtown Palm Springs, we recommend you take the time to do that soon. Typically, when outside reporters come to town, they swoop in for a few days, get only loose facts, write their stories, and never return. We don’t know if Dan Kois will ever be back here, but he offered a pretty thorough look at the situation (before concluding it was “a rich-person controversy for the ages”).

🎶 Setting the mood: “Summertime” by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald

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LEADING OFF

Rising costs, extended timelines impacting city bridge projects

Palm Springs is currently developing five major bridge projects with escalating costs and long timelines, as outlined in a City Council update by City Engineer Joel Montalvo.

Driving the news: The city’s bridge constructions are significantly over budget and delayed, but through no fault of city officials. Montalvo noted a 35% hike in bridge costs between 2021 and 2024, driven by a sharp 75% rise in material expenses like concrete. 

• Notably, the Vista Chino bridge’s cost rocketed from an estimated $67 million to $113 million.

Context: Montalvo emphasized that such government projects are inherently slow. They generally advance through phases, including preliminary engineering and environmental reviews, each taking years.

Project details: The ongoing projects include the $45 million Indian Canyon Drive bridge and the $100 million Vista Chino bridge, with completion stretched to 2026. Each project entails keeping parts of the road open to traffic, adding complexity and potential disruption for local commuters

• To minimize impact, construction on these bridges is paced by building one-half at a time, allowing one side to be used while the other is constructed.

In addition: The city is coordinating with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) on a separate $50 million project addressing flooding and blow sand issues on Indian Canyon, aiming for seamless integration with city projects.

• When asked what assistance his department needed, Montalvo requested not only ongoing council support but public patience — underscoring the challenges of fast-tracking public infrastructure projects.

Dive deeper: He also explained where the money for the bridges comes from: 88.5% of it comes from the federal Highway Bridge Program. The remaining percentage is split between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the city of Palm Springs.

• Palm Springs covers a quarter of the remaining funding, and CVAG takes care of the rest.

What’s next: The City Council and engineering teams continue to focus on efficient project execution and resource management, aiming to alleviate financial strains and meet construction timelines amidst rising costs and community disruption.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

⚾️ Palm Springs Power celebrates city with a free game

The Palm Springs Power baseball team is set to celebrate City of Palm Springs Night this Friday, offering free admission and complimentary refreshments for all residents.

• All residents of Palm Springs get a free ticket to the game and a hot dog, soft drink, and chips. To get your tickets, provide identification at the Palm Springs stadium’s box office.
  
  
• The event is put on by the city and Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS) and the first pitch will be thrown by City Manager Scott Stiles. 
  
  
• The city praised its relationship with the team in a recent press release, saying, “This long-lasting relationship and commitment to bettering the community is one of the many reasons the Power have consistent success engaging local fans, businesses and the Coachella Valley community.”

Details: Gates open at 6 p.m. on Friday at Palm Springs Stadium and the game starts at 7 p.m. when the Power face off against the San Diego Waves.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Palm Springs International ShortFest
All day | Regal Cinemas Palm Springs
Running through June 24, the Palm Springs International ShortFest is one of the largest showcases of short-form cinema in North America, come enjoy hundreds of shorts from more than 50 countries. Check out the schedule here.

Pet Vaccine Clinic
9:30 a.m. | Palm Springs Animal Shelter
The Palm Springs Animal Shelter invites you to bring in your pet for low-cost vaccines, including vaccines for rabies and canine influenza. They are also offering microchip implantation and registration. ($15-$25)

2024 Summer Cabaret Series: Jason Graae
7 p.m. | CV Rep Theatre
Jason Graae has been featured on Broadway, off-Broadway, TV, film, opera and recordings. ($50)

VillageFest
7 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
A reminder, starting this month and through the rest of the summer VillageFest, the weekly street fair featuring art, entertainment, shopping, and food, will be starting an hour later at 7 p.m. The Palm Springs Art Museum also has free admission tonight starting at 5 p.m.

Country Music Night with Sean Taylor Jackson
7 p.m. | PS Air Bar & Lounge
Enjoy country music hits with performer Sean Taylor Jackson every Thursday.

SAVE THE DATE

• Red Cross Training on Household and Extreme Heat Preparedness on June 25.
  
  
• Parks and Recreation Master Planning Workshop at the Demuth Community Center on June 26.
  
  
• Palm Springs Equality Wine & Food Fest at Margaritaville Resort on June 29.
  
  
• Palm Springs All American 4th of July at Sunrise Park on July 4.
  
  
• ONE-PS Lip-Sync Battle at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on July 7.
  
  
• Happy Hour for a Star fundraiser at Wildest Restaurant on July 14.

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AND FINALLY …

When the smoke cleared on the hillside above Palm Springs after the Tuscany Fire was mostly contained, residents were greeted with the sight of strangely-colored mountains, covered in fire retardant.

Driving the news: In a post online, the city explained that the eye-catching color is useful for pilots trying to put the fire out, so they can see where earlier drops were made and aim the retardant on the most useful areas.

Dive deeper: The USDA said that’s important because if fire retardant lines aren’t connected, wildfires will squeeze through the gaps and continue to burn and advance. 

Team effort: The Palm Springs Fire Department worked with several agencies to put out the blaze, including Cal Fire Riverside County, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Palm Springs Police Department, and the Desert Water Agency.