Canyon Palms NeighborhoodIn response to historic drought conditions, both the state and our local water agency have announced usage restrictions. We urge our neighborhood residents to familiarize themselves with the rules, because we have seen signs of local enforcement. Desert Water Agency has a lot of information online you can read by following this link.
The city has rejected a proposal to add crosswalks on La Verne Way and Caliente Drive as unwarranted. An engineering study monitored traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 20 and found 75 pedestrians attempting to cross in various directions, including 23 pedestrians crossing La Verne. The Canyon Palms Neighborhood Organization had formally requested a traffic calming solution on June 1. CPNO’s suggested solutions were addition of two high-visibility crosswalks across La Verne west of Caliente and across Caliente on the south side of La Verne, new signage to alert approaching vehicles of the crosswalks, and increased use of neighborhood speed awareness signs, radar speed display units, and targeted police enforcement of current speed limits.
The distance on La Verne Way from the crosswalk at Camino Real to the new crosswalk at Toledo Ave. is about a half-mile. This distance makes it hard for pedestrians to cross safely between Canyon Palms and Twin Palms. Cars and trucks regularly exceed the 40 mph speed limit on La Verne. The city would need property owners’ permission to install radar units that provide visual feedback of vehicle speeds.
With the volunteer help of a lawyer in our neighborhood, CPNO recently obtained the engineering study and related documents. The study included maps showing the obtuse angle of the intersection and a note saying it was “not ideal” for crosswalks. But it appears the crosswalks were deemed unwarranted because the study found a low volume of pedestrians, given the lack of nearby retail, schools or parks. The city also looks at accident data. Of course, there is no way to count any incidents in which pedestrians barely escape being hit. CPNO board members said they would continue to seek solutions before someone gets hit by a vehicle.
The ONE-PS Code Enforcement and Public Works Committee is holding a public meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, May 5, at 10 a.m. Among the topics to be discussed:
To view, listen or participate in the meeting, use the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85929254806?pwd=RDVFdlF1azJNTWZCeUxGL0ZxcTdGUT09,
Or dial in and use Zoom Meeting ID 859 2925 4806, Passcode 019014
The city has a webpage with updated information about projects to improve pedestrian safety through traffic calming. The projects include:
Click this link: Citywide Traffic Calming Projects | City of Palm Springs (palmspringsca.gov) to see what those planned projects and several others will look like. The Canyon Palms Neighborhood Organization would like to thank Joel Montalvo, Francisco Jaime and Donn Uleyo with the city Engineering Services for keeping us in the loop.
The City Council on Jan. 28 will consider changes to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in South Palm Springs, including two in our neighborhood:
(Marked/highlighted crosswalks were recently installed at East Palm Canyon and Deepwell in front of Elmer’s.)
Our district council member, Lisa Middleton, told us, “I know that there are concerns about other problematic traffic, pedestrian and cycling chokepoints in South Palm Springs. These are not the only improvements that will be considered.”
The staff report on these proposed changes will be posted on the city’s website. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the report if you wish to submit a comment or ask to speak at the virtual public council meeting.
The Canyon Palms Neighborhood Organization (CPNO) aims to facilitate communication between our residents and the City. We’ve created a short questionnaire to better understand your concerns and suggestions regarding traffic-related issues. This is a first step in our efforts to engage with the City on these topics in what we expect to be an ongoing dialog with numerous opportunities for idea exchange and feedback. Let’s get started!
Please answer several questions about local traffic by clicking this link.
As part of the Palm Springs Community Policing program, Lt. Gustavo M. Araiza met with our neighborhood organization board at its Dec. 11 meeting. Lt. Araiza explained the importance of understanding the different reporting methods available to the public. To report a nuisance issue, use the non-emergency number or app, but always use 911 for real emergencies. You can download the flyer as a PDF.
