City of Cathedral City, CA

09/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/19/2024 16:51

Cathedral City’s Discover Digest

You may have seen the changes to the roadway striping along East Palm Canyon Drive from Cathedral Canyon Drive to our west city limits. Or maybe the new sidewalks installed along Cathedral Canyon Drive from Dinah Shore Drive to the new Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge.
Or again, the road work in progress along the east side of Date Palm Drive from East Palm Canyon Drive to Perez Road. These are all segments of a single construction grant awarded to the city from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) back in 2023. Thus, a grant application successfully turned into a construction Project.
The Project had a long journey to get to where we are today. Many milestones were achieved, and the overall completion is coming soon. The project, as you surmised above, is comprised of three segments. The segments are as follows:
  • The East Palm Canyon Drive Bicycle Lanes Segment.
  • The Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail Segment.
  • The Date Palm Drive Expansion South of Perez Road to East Palm Canyon Drive Segment.
EAST PALM CANYON BICYCLE LANES SEGMENT
All the segments lead pedestrians and bicyclists to the city's core, its downtown. Hence, the name on our official state paperwork is "ATP Cycle 5 - Cathedral City Downtown Connectors Project." ATP is an acronym for "Active Transportation Program."
CATHEDRAL CANYON DRIVE SIDEWALK AND MULTIUSE TRAIL SEGMENT
The journey to get to where the Project is today, took persistence and dedication by the city's staff, consultants, and cooperation with Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG). Back in 2019, the city and CVAG got together and determined that the most recent successful grants awards for projects, especially for ATP projects, were projects that were completely designed and ready for construction. In our business, this means "shovel-ready." Thus, a cooperative agreement was entered into between the city and CVAG to complete "shovel-ready" plans and specifications for a project to provide needed active transportation gap connectors to the downtown area. The design costs of $961,081 were apportioned with the city's participating with $240,270 (or 25%).
With plans in hand and additional support for the construction of the project coming from a Riverside County Transportation Commission's (RCTC) SB 821 grant in the amount of a $338,000, the ATP grant application was submitted. All this good preplanning and partnerships led to a successful grant ranking that allowed Caltrans to make the decision to award the city $4,383,000 for the construction of the Project.
So here we are today. The status of each segment update is as follows:
  • The East Palm Canyon Drive Bike Lanes Segment:
    • This segment was completed and is in service. This segment added bicycle lanes along East Palm Canyon Drive from Cathedral Canyon Drive to the city's west city limits abutting the City of Palm Springs complete with new signage, striping, legends, chevrons, and detector loops.
  • The Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail Segment:
    • This segment is near completion with a HAWK pedestrian crossing signal as the last facility to be installed to make the segment complete. On Cathedral Canyon Drive between Dinah Shore Drive and the new Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge, this segment consisted of the installation of a sidewalk and a bicycle lane on the west side of the street, an 8-foot-wide multiuse trail on the east side of the street, ADA curb ramps and new street striping. Landscaping along this corridor will be renewed by the fronting gated communities.
High-Intensity Activated CrossWalK (HAWK) Signal
  • The Date Palm Drive Expansion South of Perez Road to East Palm Canyon Drive Segment:
    • This segment is 50% complete. On the east side of Date Palm Drive between East Palm Canyon Drive and Perez Road a contractor is busy at work. The contractor is widening the east side of the street, adding new curb, gutter, sidewalk, ADA ramps, driveway approaches, stormwater catch basins and widening the existing North Cathedral City Stormwater Channel Bridge. This work is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year.
DATE PALM DRIVE EXPANSION SOUTH OF PEREZ TO EAST PALM CANYON DRIVE SEGMENT
Overall, once all the new facilities are completed, the new infrastructure will provide a significant addition to having alternatives to get to and from the downtown area. You can leave the car at home. Walking, jogging and bicycling are fun and healthy options that can get you where you want to go.
If you have any questions regarding this Community Update and the Roadway Projects discussed, please call me.

S.C.R.A.P. Gallery to Host Real People, Real Climate, Real Change Exhibit, Sept. 13 - Nov. 17, 2024

It's for real. S.C.R.A.P. Gallery invites you to journey through climate change with the exhibit "Real People, Real Climate, Real Changes" from Sept. 13 through Nov. 17, 2024. This family-friendly, participatory exhibit demonstrates how climate change is changing and how those changes affect people's lives around the country and the world. The exhibit, …Read more

International Day of Peace

September 21, 2024
This year's International Day of Peace event by the Cathedral City Peace Initiative is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Cathedral City Senior Center, 37-171 West Buddy Rogers Avenue, Cathedral City! The event will feature a program focusing on the reality that people could create peace by using the rule of law and …

Fire Boots , Brews, and Chews

September 22, 2024
Join us for "Fire Boots, Brews, and Chews!" ☕️ Cathedral City Fire Department is hosting a morning filled with coffee, donuts, and a chance to chat with our amazing firefighters! ‍‍ Date: September 22, 2024 ⏰ Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Location: Fire Station 2, 32100 Desert Vista Rd, Cathedral City, CA 92234 Come down to …

Coachella Valleys Battle in the Desert 2024

October 19, 2024
Come watch the sport of amateur boxing at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater in Downtown Cathedral City. Doors open at 4:00 pm 1st boxing match starts at approximately 5:00 pm For tickets, contact Jesus Gonzalez (760) 335-8895

Quarterly Art Exhibit

November 9, 2024
The Quarterly Art Exhibit in Cathedral City showcases a variety of artworks by talented local artists. This free community event takes place every three months, with each exhibit featuring new pieces to discover. Come out and support the arts while exploring the unique culture of Cathedral City.

Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival

November 22-24, 2024
The City of Cathedral City is excited to announce Agua Caliente Casinos, the award-winning premier destination for entertainment in the Coachella Valley, as the title sponsor for the 10th-anniversary event, which will take place Friday, Nov. 22 - Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. The festival will feature live food truck vendors from Southern California, a beer and wine garden, tethered balloon rides…Read more