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CVAG director outlines $3.5 billion regional CIP, I‑10 study and plans to extend CV Link into Desert Hot Springs
Summary
Tom Kirk of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments briefed the Desert Hot Springs council on a regional capital improvement program totaling about $3.5 billion (approximately $2.7 billion unfunded), an I‑10 corridor study, a warehouse/trucking impact study, progress on CV Sync and plans to extend CV Link into Desert Hot Springs; CVCC announced a $500,000 cleanup grant and a $250,000 contract for initial cleanup work.
Tom Kirk, executive director of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), told the Desert Hot Springs City Council on June 17 that CVAG is updating a regional capital improvement program that lists roughly $3.5 billion in projects produced over the last decade, with about $2.7 billion remaining unfunded.
"We don't have enough money to build all of these projects," Kirk said, describing construction‑cost escalation and noting the top priorities include the Monroe and Jackson interchanges, which have seen large cost increases. He said Monroe’s estimate rose from about $77 million three years ago to about $177 million today.
Kirk described several regional efforts that affect Desert Hot Springs: an I‑10 corridor study intended to identify major improvements and funding opportunities; a trucking and warehouse study to assess regional truck impacts as part of settlement agreements; and CV Sync, a program to synchronize traffic signals across jurisdictions. He said signal coordination is operational in several corridors and phase two installations — including camera devices for monitoring — are underway.
On Varner Road, Kirk said CVAG has a design agreement with Cathedral City to fully design the segment between Palm Drive and Date Palm; CVAG is funding 75% of the design with Cathedral City covering the remainder. He cautioned construction is not expected for at least 18 months to two years and funding still must be secured.
Kirk also updated council on the Access Project (Indian Canyon in North Palm Springs), which he said secured $50 million in state funding for construction and remains a complicated project because it must address both flooding and sand issues; construction is not expected for around two years.
"We've put a request for proposals out to connect initial design work" for extending CV Link into Desert Hot Springs, Kirk said. He said staff will be interviewing consultants soon and that multiple alignment options will be studied to connect CV Link from North Palm Springs into Desert Hot Springs.
Kirk closed with Coachella Valley Conservation Commission (CVCC) news: CVCC secured a $500,000 grant for cleanup of conservation lands with illegal dumping and encampments, and the commission approved a roughly $250,000 contract with Integrated Waste Services to begin work on easier sites in July and develop plans for larger encampment cleanups this fall.
Councilmembers thanked Kirk for the update and said they look forward to continued coordination on Varner Road, CV Link extensions and I‑10 planning.
CVAG materials and the regional CIP update are expected to be available through CVAG and city staff channels for further review.
