It’s no LA or Orange County, but Palm Springs and surrounding cities still face their share of traffic woes. A project underway throughout the desert aims to combat that.
Zoom in: Known as “CV Sync,” the project is a collaboration between eight of the valley’s nine cities, the state, and the county, all working with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments.
- It was first conceived in 2016 with a simple goal: synchronize traffic lights on multiple significant roadways in the valley, including parts of Highway 111 and Ramon Road in Palm Springs, to reduce drive times.
- Technology such as digital message boards, fiber optic cables, and cameras are being installed so participating cities can communicate and coordinate traffic flow in real time, especially during large events.
Driving the news: Motorists here may have noticed one of the digital message boards late last month when Caltrans crews first turned it on in the 2700 block of North Palm Canyon Drive. It’s just one part of $15 million in traffic signal projects currently active in the area.
- Among the other projects underway or planned in the city are pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements at 11 Downtown Palm Springs intersections and traffic signals at the intersections of Rosa Parks Road and Indian Canyon Drive and San Rafael Drive and Avenida Caballeros.
Looking back: This isn’t the first time multiple municipalities have tried to synchronize traffic in the valley. However, an attempt two decades ago failed because the participating cities all installed different systems, and none of them communicated with each other.
Next steps: Expect to see much more work in Palm Springs, CVAG officials said last week. An initial phase has wrapped up in the valley’s east end, and the final stage, expected to continue through 2024, includes many projects here.
- While there will be some disruptions on surface streets, much of the work will be underground.
Bottom line: “Are you going to see green lights everywhere? No. But you’re going to see more in the future,” said CVAG Executive Director Tom Kirk during a presentation to the Palm Spring City Council on April 27.
