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Palm Desert unveils Vision Zero plan and seeks SS4A implementation funding
Summary
City staff and consultants presented a Vision Zero strategy that prioritizes 70 projects from a 222-item list, cites a high-injury network where 43% of serious crashes occur on roughly 2% of roads, and aims to submit an SS4A implementation grant by June 26; council was asked to adopt planning documents by May 22 to preserve eligibility.
Palm Desert officials reviewed a draft Vision Zero strategy aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries and discussed preparing an application for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) implementation grant.
Les Brown, senior planner and project manager for the Palm Desert Vision 0 strategy at Alta Planning and Design, said the effort combines infrastructure, policy changes and education. "Envision 0 is a road safety initiative aimed at eliminating all traffic related fatalities and serious injuries through a combination of infrastructure improvements, policy changes, and education," Brown said.
Staff described two central plans: Safe Routes to School (targeting a half-mile radius around eight schools, including locations near La Quinta and Indian Wells) and Safe Routes for Older Adults (focused on three older-adult priority areas aligned with destinations such as the Joslyn Center and senior housing). The consultant reported 20 engagement events, walk-audit field work and roughly 30 traffic-count locations informed the recommendations.
The presentation highlighted a data dashboard and a 'high injury network' that staff said concentrates 43% of Palm Desert's serious-injury and fatal collisions on about 2% of the road network. That analysis informed a prioritization that trimmed 222 recommendations to roughly 70 projects with an estimated total value of about $39,000,000; staff said they expect to pursue grants with implementation awards ranging from roughly $2.5 million to $25 million and a typical local match near 20 percent.
Chris Gary with the public works department told council the city has budgeted some matching funds and that, given jurisdiction size, Palm Desert likely would pursue projects in the $6 million–$8 million range. Brown confirmed the SS4A implementation grant window is open and closes June 26 and said key planning documents and a council resolution would need to be in place to support a competitive application. He asked council for final comments so staff and the consultant team can finalize plans for adoption by May 22.
Council members asked technical and site-specific questions, including a discussion of proposed buffered bike-lane treatments on Fred Waring Drive and Portola Avenue. Brown said the recommendation is to add a diagonal buffered strip to provide 3–5 feet of horizontal separation and to narrow vehicle lanes to slow traffic rather than add separate curb-protected bike lanes.
The presentation also noted programmatic recommendations—crossing guard siting and training, walking-school-bus programs, bike-lending libraries, and a public-safety education campaign—that staff said complement capital work and can be used in grant narratives.
The next steps outlined were collection of final feedback by May 5, finalization of consultant plans by May 12, council consideration and a resolution on May 22, and submission of the SS4A implementation grant by June 26. The council did not take formal action at the study session and staff will return with any requested supplemental information and the draft prioritization list linked to the public data dashboard.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A during the Palm Desert city council study session. The consultant and staff identified timelines and grant deadlines; no vote was recorded at this meeting.
