Palm Springs weighs stronger security for popular street fair after New Orleans attack ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

Protective bollards — sturdy posts that can be raised and lowered to control vehicle access — are located under these covers at the intersection of La Plaza and South Palm Canyon Drive. They are currently inoperable.

Palm Springs officials are discussing improved security measures for the city’s weekly VillageFest event following a deadly attack in New Orleans that raised safety concerns for cities nationwide.

The popular Thursday night street fair, which draws thousands of visitors to downtown Palm Canyon Drive, has relied for years on water-filled barricades and strategically placed police vehicles to secure the area. However, police and others in the city are evaluating safety measures deployed during the weekly event in the wake of the New Orleans tragedy.

“With every critical incident, we take it as an opportunity to learn and analyze our current procedures,” Palm Springs Police Department Sgt. Mike Casavan said last week. “Based on those lessons, recommendations will be made to enhance public safety.”

One option being considered is the use of bollards — sturdy posts that can be raised and lowered to control vehicle access. The city had previously installed hydraulic bollards at key intersections, both portable and permanent, but they are currently non-functional due to technical issues. The company that could retrofit them has yet to commit to a fix.

The discussion of enhanced security measures comes in the wake of the recent tragedy where a driver was able to navigate a truck nearly three blocks down Bourbon Street, killing 14 people.

City officials in New Orleans were advised in 2017 to install bollards to protect pedestrians from such an attack, which they did. But the bollards installed in 2017 were undergoing replacement ahead of the Super Bowl, which New Orleans will host on Feb. 9.

Without functioning bollards in Palm Springs, city staff began parking trucks at key intersections during VillageFest to enhance security. Starting last week, trucks have been seen parked at the intersections of Belardo and Andreas, and Baristo and Palm Canyon.

Another option to possibly enhance safety would be to relocate VillageFest to a more secure area near the Palm Springs Art Museum. That idea, however, has not been met with enthusiasm by Palm Canyon Drive merchants who benefit from VillageFest traffic.

City engineering staff said any potential relocation would also face logistical challenges, including lack of available electrical hook-ups for vendors.