San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Improvements – Phase II

The City of Palm Desert (City) is pleased to nominate the San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Improvements – Phase II (Project) for the Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Awards Program under the category of Complete Streets Projects. The Project demonstrates a commitment to Complete Streets through a successfully partnership between the City, Dokken Engineering (Engineer), Los Angeles Engineering Inc. (Contractor), and Southstar Engineering (Construction Manager).

Project Overview

The Project includes the 2,600-foot segment of San Pablo Avenue from Fred Waring Drive to Magnesia Falls Drive in Palm Desert. The Project reduces the existing number of lanes (four to two) through a road diet, which includes improved bikeway facilities along the corridor, enhanced pedestrian accommodations, new landscaping, on-street parking, and two roundabout intersections at the entrance of College of the Desert and Magnesia Falls Drive. The Project costs approximately $8,961,000, including $5,739,000 in City funds and $3,222,000 in Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) funds. The Project commenced October 26, 2020 (Notice to Proceed) and was completed on February 25, 2022 (Notice of Completion). Finally, the Project complements the recently completed Phase I along San Pablo Avenue, which totaled approximately $10,762,000.

Community Benefits

The Project created measurable benefits in the community through the use of creative use resources, including an ATP grant. Some of the benefits include:

• Increased active transportation through buffered bike lanes.

• Reduced vehicle speeds through a road diet (i.e., four to two lanes).

• Achieved greater connectivity by adjoining to CV Link, a multi-modal dual pathway that extends over 40-miles in the future.

• Implemented sustainable elements (e.g., drought tolerant landscaping, removed non-native species, roadway improvements to reduce vehicles miles traveled).

Community Engagement

The Project was initiated during the City’s last General Plan Update, which identified San Pablo Avenue as a key area for transformational change to facilitate the creation of a downtown/city center. Hundreds of community members and stakeholders participated in the development of the Project. Nearby facilities include City Hall, Civic Center Park, College of the Desert, Aquatic Center, Dog Park, YCMA, Desert Recreation Center, and other tenants of City owned buildings. As a result, staff and consultants spent years evaluating the final design and configuration for the corridor along with the community.

The City also coordinated extensively with the Coachella Association of Governments during the design and construction of the adjacent CV Link. These two completed projects now offer connectivity throughout Palm Desert, and eventually throughout the Coachella Valley. This connectivity now provides greater access to shopping, restaurants, and other commercial services, and connects residential neighborhoods to more civic uses.