El Paseo Capital Improvement Project

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About the Project

Beginning June 16, 2025, the City of Palm Desert will launch a major capital improvement project on El Paseo, the city's premier shopping and dining corridor. This project includes roadway resurfacing and pedestrian safety enhancements along El Paseo from Highway 74 easterly to Highway 111 (at Cabrillo).

The goal of this project is to improve the driving experience while making El Paseo safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians. Enhancements include repaving the roadway and installing three new raised pedestrian crosswalks using durable, attractive paver stones. The existing raised crosswalks will be removed and replaced to match the three new raised crosswalks. These improvements are part of the City’s ongoing efforts to support a vibrant, accessible, and pedestrian-friendly downtown.

Update – Final Phase Update - 9/4/2025

Crews are entering the final phase of work on El Paseo, which includes new mid-block pedestrian crossings, parking lot upgrades, and finishing touches to prepare the street for the upcoming season.

Construction Schedule

  • North Side (Ocotillo Drive to Lupine Lane): Closed starting September 8, reopening in about 1.5 weeks.
  • South Side: Closed starting September 22, reopening the week of September 29.
  • On-street parking will remain available on the side of El Paseo not under construction.

Other Improvements

  • Parking Lot Work: Presidents Plaza III (north side, behind stores between Highway 74 and Sage Lane) will be slurry sealed the week of September 22. Work will occur at night for one week, with portions of the lot temporarily closed.
  • Crosswalks: Removal of the remaining painted crosswalks at San Pablo Avenue and Highway 74.
  • Striping: Roadway striping throughout El Paseo between September 8 – 22.

All work is being carefully scheduled so El Paseo is ready for the busy season and upcoming events.

Update - August 29, 2025

The street surface on El Paseo has been rehabilitated for the through lanes the entire stretch of the project. Some minor paving in turn pockets and side roads will be completed next week. The contractor is raising valves and manholes for CVWD. Work has started in the median islands to reroute irrigation lines in preparation for the construction of the raised crosswalks. Work on the raised crosswalks is scheduled for next week.

Update - August 15, 2025

El Paseo has been paved from Highway 74 to Portola Avenue. This week, the contractor pulverized and recompacted the westbound lanes of El Paseo from Highway 111 to Portola Avenue. They completed the removal of concrete near Portola Avenue, and the paving will be complete for this phase of work on Friday afternoon. The next phase of work will begin Monday morning and will begin the rehabilitation of the eastbound lanes from Portola to Highway 111. On the west end of the project, CVWD has started raising its manholes and valves back to the finished surface.

Update - July 30, 2025

The City of Palm Desert is nearing completion of the third phase of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project. This phase includes improvements to the westbound lanes (north side of El Paseo) between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue. Work in this area is expected to conclude by mid-day on Thursday, July 31.

Immediately following completion of the north side, the construction team will shift traffic control to the eastbound lanes (south side of El Paseo) between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue. Crews will begin pavement removal and asphalt installation on this segment, with work scheduled to take place from July 31 through August 11.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue making long-term improvements to the El Paseo corridor.

Update - August 21, 2025

The City of Palm Desert will complete the street paving portion of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project tomorrow.

Beginning Friday evening, construction crews will begin work on the intersections of El Paseo at Portola Avenue and El Paseo at San Pablo Avenue. Pavement pulverization and removal will take place overnight on Friday and Saturday nights (8/22 and 8/23), and again from Monday, August 25, through Tuesday, August 26.

This work will occur overnight, starting at 9:00 p.m. and concluding by 6:00 a.m. each day. Intersections will reopen at 6:00 a.m.; however, vehicles will be driving over dirt surfaces until final paving is completed on the morning of August 26. Night work is being scheduled to help minimize disruptions.

Update - August 13, 2025

Work has begun on the section of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 on the north side of the road. Construction will continue in that phase for approximately one week. After that phase is complete, work will begin on the opposite side of the road between Portola and Highway 111. The traffic signal at Portola and El Paseo will remain in a red flash four-way stop.

Update - July 18, 2025

The work on the second phase of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project was completed last week. The crew pulverized the street on the north side of the median island from Highway 74 to San Pablo. The street is open to traffic, and the final asphalt cap will be completed when the contractor schedules paving for the next phase.

The concrete team has completed the construction of the storm drain infrastructure near San Luis Rey. The contractor has removed the concrete cross gutters at the intersection of San Luis Rey in anticipation of regrading the intersection for a smoother ride.

The next phase of the project will impact the north side of El Paseo (westbound lanes) from San Pablo to Portola Avenue. The traffic was flipped onto the south side of the median island on July 18 in preparation for the pulverization of the westbound lanes. The pulverization and grading of the street is scheduled for the entire week beginning July 21, with the paving scheduled for the following week.

Update - July 3, 2025

Progress continues on the El Paseo street rehabilitation project. As of July 3, crews have completed major work on the south side of the street, including pulverizing the existing asphalt, compacting the subgrade, regrading the roadway, and paving from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue.

On Saturday, traffic control will shift to prepare for the next phase. Beginning Monday, July 7, construction will move to the north side of El Paseo—from Highway 74 to San Pablo—where the same process will take place. Crews will pulverize, blend, compact, and grade the roadway, with paving scheduled toward the end of the week.

Please continue to follow updates here as work progresses.

Update - June 24, 2025

Construction has begun to remove the curbs along El Paseo from Lupin Lane to San Pablo. Other construction work will take place at the intersection of San Luis Rey and El Paseo. This project will remove the "cross gutters," which are more commonly known as storm channels. This will level the street and improve the driving experience.

Update - June 20, 2025

Construction teams are "potholing" along the road, which means creating circular cuts into the street in search of utility lines. These lines are being lowered to allow the complete removal of the pavement.

Update - June 6, 2025

As of Wednesday, June 4, all dining decks on El Paseo have been temporarily removed to accommodate construction. Restaurants will be allowed to add dining decks to the road after construction is complete in October.


How You'll Be Affected by Construction

We understand that construction can be disruptive, and we’re committed to minimizing impacts wherever possible. Here’s what merchants, residents, and visitors can expect:

  • Business Access: All businesses along El Paseo will remain open throughout construction. Clear signage and pathways will help guide customers safely to your door.

  • Parking: On-street parking will be temporarily restricted near active construction zones to allow space for equipment and maintain two-way traffic.

  • Traffic Flow: Two-way traffic will be maintained on the side of the street not under construction.

  • Dining Decks: All on-street dining decks will be temporarily removed beginning June 1 to prepare for roadway resurfacing.

  • Pedestrian Access: Sidewalk access will be maintained. Construction crews will work to ensure safe, walkable routes are available at all times.

  • Noise & Dust: Some noise and dust should be expected, but work will be staged and managed to minimize disruption to daily life and commerce.

We appreciate your patience and partnership as we make El Paseo safer, smoother, and more inviting.


Project Timeline - As of 9/3/2025, All Paving Phases are Complete.

The project will be completed in five carefully staged phases from west to east. Each phase is designed to reduce disruption by focusing construction efforts on one section of the street at a time:

  • Phase 1: South side of El Paseo, from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue (Shown in red)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lupin Lane, Sage Lake, and Ocotillo Drive will be blocked.

  • Phase 2: North side of El Paseo from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue (shown in Green)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lupin Lane, Sage Lake, and Ocotillo Drive will be blocked.

  • Phase 3: North side of El Paseo, from San Pablo Avenue to Portola Avenue (shown in Black)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Larkspur Lane and San Luis Rey Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 4: South side of El Paseo from San Pablo Avenue to Portola Avenue (shown in Purple)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Larkspur Lane and San Luis Rey Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 5: Both directions of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 (shown in Blue)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lantana Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 6: Both directions of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 (shown in Yellow)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lantana Avenue will be blocked.

Construction is expected to be complete by the end of September 2025.

The construction schedule is subject to change as the project progresses.

Please use this interactive map to see each phase - zoom in to get a closer look at each phase.


Pedestrian Safety Upgrades

Three new raised crosswalks will be installed as part of this project to increase visibility and encourage slower vehicle speeds:

  • Between Ocotillo Drive and Sage Lane

  • Between Sage Lane and Lupine Lane

  • Between San Luis Rey Avenue and Portola Avenue

These crosswalks will feature attractive paver stones and act as visual and physical cues to elevate pedestrian safety.



Presidents Plaza #3 Improvements Planned for This Summer

This summer, the City of Palm Desert will begin maintenance work on Presidents Plaza #3, located between Sage Lane and Highway 74, bordered by El Paseo and Highway 111.

The project will include a slurry seal treatment and re-striping of the parking areas, helping to preserve the pavement and enhance the overall appearance and functionality of the lot.

To minimize disruptions and ensure continued parking availability during the El Paseo Rehabilitation Project, this work has been carefully scheduled to take place while the El Paseo street construction project is focused on the area between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue.

The Presidents Plaza #3 improvements are expected to take approximately one week to complete. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue to invest in the infrastructure that supports our residents, businesses, and visitors.



Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about the El Paseo project or would like to report a construction-related issue, we’re here to help.

Please use the feedback tool at the bottom of this page to submit your questions or concerns directly to our project team. We’ll make every effort to respond quickly and keep you informed.

About the Project

Beginning June 16, 2025, the City of Palm Desert will launch a major capital improvement project on El Paseo, the city's premier shopping and dining corridor. This project includes roadway resurfacing and pedestrian safety enhancements along El Paseo from Highway 74 easterly to Highway 111 (at Cabrillo).

The goal of this project is to improve the driving experience while making El Paseo safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians. Enhancements include repaving the roadway and installing three new raised pedestrian crosswalks using durable, attractive paver stones. The existing raised crosswalks will be removed and replaced to match the three new raised crosswalks. These improvements are part of the City’s ongoing efforts to support a vibrant, accessible, and pedestrian-friendly downtown.

Update – Final Phase Update - 9/4/2025

Crews are entering the final phase of work on El Paseo, which includes new mid-block pedestrian crossings, parking lot upgrades, and finishing touches to prepare the street for the upcoming season.

Construction Schedule

  • North Side (Ocotillo Drive to Lupine Lane): Closed starting September 8, reopening in about 1.5 weeks.
  • South Side: Closed starting September 22, reopening the week of September 29.
  • On-street parking will remain available on the side of El Paseo not under construction.

Other Improvements

  • Parking Lot Work: Presidents Plaza III (north side, behind stores between Highway 74 and Sage Lane) will be slurry sealed the week of September 22. Work will occur at night for one week, with portions of the lot temporarily closed.
  • Crosswalks: Removal of the remaining painted crosswalks at San Pablo Avenue and Highway 74.
  • Striping: Roadway striping throughout El Paseo between September 8 – 22.

All work is being carefully scheduled so El Paseo is ready for the busy season and upcoming events.

Update - August 29, 2025

The street surface on El Paseo has been rehabilitated for the through lanes the entire stretch of the project. Some minor paving in turn pockets and side roads will be completed next week. The contractor is raising valves and manholes for CVWD. Work has started in the median islands to reroute irrigation lines in preparation for the construction of the raised crosswalks. Work on the raised crosswalks is scheduled for next week.

Update - August 15, 2025

El Paseo has been paved from Highway 74 to Portola Avenue. This week, the contractor pulverized and recompacted the westbound lanes of El Paseo from Highway 111 to Portola Avenue. They completed the removal of concrete near Portola Avenue, and the paving will be complete for this phase of work on Friday afternoon. The next phase of work will begin Monday morning and will begin the rehabilitation of the eastbound lanes from Portola to Highway 111. On the west end of the project, CVWD has started raising its manholes and valves back to the finished surface.

Update - July 30, 2025

The City of Palm Desert is nearing completion of the third phase of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project. This phase includes improvements to the westbound lanes (north side of El Paseo) between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue. Work in this area is expected to conclude by mid-day on Thursday, July 31.

Immediately following completion of the north side, the construction team will shift traffic control to the eastbound lanes (south side of El Paseo) between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue. Crews will begin pavement removal and asphalt installation on this segment, with work scheduled to take place from July 31 through August 11.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue making long-term improvements to the El Paseo corridor.

Update - August 21, 2025

The City of Palm Desert will complete the street paving portion of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project tomorrow.

Beginning Friday evening, construction crews will begin work on the intersections of El Paseo at Portola Avenue and El Paseo at San Pablo Avenue. Pavement pulverization and removal will take place overnight on Friday and Saturday nights (8/22 and 8/23), and again from Monday, August 25, through Tuesday, August 26.

This work will occur overnight, starting at 9:00 p.m. and concluding by 6:00 a.m. each day. Intersections will reopen at 6:00 a.m.; however, vehicles will be driving over dirt surfaces until final paving is completed on the morning of August 26. Night work is being scheduled to help minimize disruptions.

Update - August 13, 2025

Work has begun on the section of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 on the north side of the road. Construction will continue in that phase for approximately one week. After that phase is complete, work will begin on the opposite side of the road between Portola and Highway 111. The traffic signal at Portola and El Paseo will remain in a red flash four-way stop.

Update - July 18, 2025

The work on the second phase of the El Paseo Street Rehabilitation Project was completed last week. The crew pulverized the street on the north side of the median island from Highway 74 to San Pablo. The street is open to traffic, and the final asphalt cap will be completed when the contractor schedules paving for the next phase.

The concrete team has completed the construction of the storm drain infrastructure near San Luis Rey. The contractor has removed the concrete cross gutters at the intersection of San Luis Rey in anticipation of regrading the intersection for a smoother ride.

The next phase of the project will impact the north side of El Paseo (westbound lanes) from San Pablo to Portola Avenue. The traffic was flipped onto the south side of the median island on July 18 in preparation for the pulverization of the westbound lanes. The pulverization and grading of the street is scheduled for the entire week beginning July 21, with the paving scheduled for the following week.

Update - July 3, 2025

Progress continues on the El Paseo street rehabilitation project. As of July 3, crews have completed major work on the south side of the street, including pulverizing the existing asphalt, compacting the subgrade, regrading the roadway, and paving from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue.

On Saturday, traffic control will shift to prepare for the next phase. Beginning Monday, July 7, construction will move to the north side of El Paseo—from Highway 74 to San Pablo—where the same process will take place. Crews will pulverize, blend, compact, and grade the roadway, with paving scheduled toward the end of the week.

Please continue to follow updates here as work progresses.

Update - June 24, 2025

Construction has begun to remove the curbs along El Paseo from Lupin Lane to San Pablo. Other construction work will take place at the intersection of San Luis Rey and El Paseo. This project will remove the "cross gutters," which are more commonly known as storm channels. This will level the street and improve the driving experience.

Update - June 20, 2025

Construction teams are "potholing" along the road, which means creating circular cuts into the street in search of utility lines. These lines are being lowered to allow the complete removal of the pavement.

Update - June 6, 2025

As of Wednesday, June 4, all dining decks on El Paseo have been temporarily removed to accommodate construction. Restaurants will be allowed to add dining decks to the road after construction is complete in October.


How You'll Be Affected by Construction

We understand that construction can be disruptive, and we’re committed to minimizing impacts wherever possible. Here’s what merchants, residents, and visitors can expect:

  • Business Access: All businesses along El Paseo will remain open throughout construction. Clear signage and pathways will help guide customers safely to your door.

  • Parking: On-street parking will be temporarily restricted near active construction zones to allow space for equipment and maintain two-way traffic.

  • Traffic Flow: Two-way traffic will be maintained on the side of the street not under construction.

  • Dining Decks: All on-street dining decks will be temporarily removed beginning June 1 to prepare for roadway resurfacing.

  • Pedestrian Access: Sidewalk access will be maintained. Construction crews will work to ensure safe, walkable routes are available at all times.

  • Noise & Dust: Some noise and dust should be expected, but work will be staged and managed to minimize disruption to daily life and commerce.

We appreciate your patience and partnership as we make El Paseo safer, smoother, and more inviting.


Project Timeline - As of 9/3/2025, All Paving Phases are Complete.

The project will be completed in five carefully staged phases from west to east. Each phase is designed to reduce disruption by focusing construction efforts on one section of the street at a time:

  • Phase 1: South side of El Paseo, from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue (Shown in red)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lupin Lane, Sage Lake, and Ocotillo Drive will be blocked.

  • Phase 2: North side of El Paseo from Highway 74 to San Pablo Avenue (shown in Green)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lupin Lane, Sage Lake, and Ocotillo Drive will be blocked.

  • Phase 3: North side of El Paseo, from San Pablo Avenue to Portola Avenue (shown in Black)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Larkspur Lane and San Luis Rey Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 4: South side of El Paseo from San Pablo Avenue to Portola Avenue (shown in Purple)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Larkspur Lane and San Luis Rey Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 5: Both directions of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 (shown in Blue)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lantana Avenue will be blocked.

  • Phase 6: Both directions of El Paseo from Portola Avenue to Highway 111 (shown in Yellow)

    • During this phase, crossing El Paseo north and south at Lantana Avenue will be blocked.

Construction is expected to be complete by the end of September 2025.

The construction schedule is subject to change as the project progresses.

Please use this interactive map to see each phase - zoom in to get a closer look at each phase.


Pedestrian Safety Upgrades

Three new raised crosswalks will be installed as part of this project to increase visibility and encourage slower vehicle speeds:

  • Between Ocotillo Drive and Sage Lane

  • Between Sage Lane and Lupine Lane

  • Between San Luis Rey Avenue and Portola Avenue

These crosswalks will feature attractive paver stones and act as visual and physical cues to elevate pedestrian safety.



Presidents Plaza #3 Improvements Planned for This Summer

This summer, the City of Palm Desert will begin maintenance work on Presidents Plaza #3, located between Sage Lane and Highway 74, bordered by El Paseo and Highway 111.

The project will include a slurry seal treatment and re-striping of the parking areas, helping to preserve the pavement and enhance the overall appearance and functionality of the lot.

To minimize disruptions and ensure continued parking availability during the El Paseo Rehabilitation Project, this work has been carefully scheduled to take place while the El Paseo street construction project is focused on the area between San Pablo Avenue and Portola Avenue.

The Presidents Plaza #3 improvements are expected to take approximately one week to complete. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue to invest in the infrastructure that supports our residents, businesses, and visitors.



Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about the El Paseo project or would like to report a construction-related issue, we’re here to help.

Please use the feedback tool at the bottom of this page to submit your questions or concerns directly to our project team. We’ll make every effort to respond quickly and keep you informed.

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