Street Projects in Palm Desert

Gerald Ford Drive

The City of Palm Desert will begin a major improvement project on Gerald Ford Drive between Cook Street and El Paseo del Corazon (the entrance to the Spanish Walk community). This project is designed to enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and upgrade the overall appearance of the corridor. The road will be closed to eastbound traffic during construction, but one lane of westbound traffic will remain.

All businesses are open and residents along the corridor will continue to have access to their homes during construction.

Project Features Include:

New pavement
New medians
Sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and driveways
Upgraded traffic signals
Underground utility improvements
Enhanced median landscaping to beautify the roadway

Construction Timeline: December 1, 2025 – May 26, 2026

San Pablo Avenue Slurry Seal – November 23–24

Beginning the night of Sunday, November 23, the City will be slurry-coating San Pablo Avenue from Shadow Mountain Drive to San Gorgonio Way. Slurry work will occur over two nights, with lane striping to follow at a later date during nighttime hours.

Construction will take place from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. During the work on the segment between Highway 111 and Shadow Mountain Drive (closest to El Paseo), at least one lane of traffic in each direction will remain open to allow vehicle access.

CVWD Non-Potable Water Line Construction - Frank Sinatra Drive Near Eldorado

CVWD's Cook Street non-potable water (NPW) project is nearing completion. As the contractor transitions to the final phase, a brief activity will occur near the intersection of Frank Sinatra Drive and Eldorado Drive.

What to Expect

Location: Frank Sinatra Drive at Eldorado Drive
Scope of Work: A small trench installation as part of the final phase of the NPW project
Contractor: TE Roberts

Traffic Impacts:

No street closures
Lanes will remain open but will be narrowed; drivers should use caution

Schedule:

Potholing scheduled for Thursday, December 11 (cutting small holes in the road to move existing utilities)
Trenching is anticipated between December 15 and 24
Street work is expected to take less than two weeks, and possibly closer to one week
This schedule may change due to weather or other circumstances

Civic Center Parking Lot Construction

Starting in October, the City of Palm Desert will begin construction in the Civic Center parking lot near City Hall to install solar canopies. This project supports the City’s commitment to sustainability by adding renewable energy infrastructure to a key municipal site. Construction is expected to take several months to complete.

During this time, portions of the parking lot will be temporarily closed, and traffic patterns may shift. We ask all visitors to use caution when navigating the area and follow posted signage for safe access to City facilities.

Gerald Ford Drive

The City of Palm Desert will begin a major improvement project on Gerald Ford Drive between Cook Street and El Paseo del Corazon (the entrance to the Spanish Walk community). This project is designed to enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and upgrade the overall appearance of the corridor. The road will be closed to eastbound traffic during construction, but one lane of westbound traffic will remain.

All businesses are open and residents along the corridor will continue to have access to their homes during construction.

Project Features Include:

New pavement
New medians
Sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and driveways
Upgraded traffic signals
Underground utility improvements
Enhanced median landscaping to beautify the roadway

Construction Timeline: December 1, 2025 – May 26, 2026

San Pablo Avenue Slurry Seal – November 23–24

Beginning the night of Sunday, November 23, the City will be slurry-coating San Pablo Avenue from Shadow Mountain Drive to San Gorgonio Way. Slurry work will occur over two nights, with lane striping to follow at a later date during nighttime hours.

Construction will take place from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. During the work on the segment between Highway 111 and Shadow Mountain Drive (closest to El Paseo), at least one lane of traffic in each direction will remain open to allow vehicle access.

CVWD Non-Potable Water Line Construction - Frank Sinatra Drive Near Eldorado

CVWD's Cook Street non-potable water (NPW) project is nearing completion. As the contractor transitions to the final phase, a brief activity will occur near the intersection of Frank Sinatra Drive and Eldorado Drive.

What to Expect

Location: Frank Sinatra Drive at Eldorado Drive
Scope of Work: A small trench installation as part of the final phase of the NPW project
Contractor: TE Roberts

Traffic Impacts:

No street closures
Lanes will remain open but will be narrowed; drivers should use caution

Schedule:

Potholing scheduled for Thursday, December 11 (cutting small holes in the road to move existing utilities)
Trenching is anticipated between December 15 and 24
Street work is expected to take less than two weeks, and possibly closer to one week
This schedule may change due to weather or other circumstances

Civic Center Parking Lot Construction

Starting in October, the City of Palm Desert will begin construction in the Civic Center parking lot near City Hall to install solar canopies. This project supports the City’s commitment to sustainability by adding renewable energy infrastructure to a key municipal site. Construction is expected to take several months to complete.

During this time, portions of the parking lot will be temporarily closed, and traffic patterns may shift. We ask all visitors to use caution when navigating the area and follow posted signage for safe access to City facilities.

Submit Questions

Share The new signal at Marketplace Drive at Cook Street also has a large painted concrete wall indicating it is the entrance to Ralphs and mall shops. It is not and is misleading. It actually marks the truck entrance for offloading to the rear of the mall shops. The actual entrance to the mall is a few hundred feet further south on Cook. Don’t know if the addition of signal there was the right thing to do. truck entrances on Facebook Share The new signal at Marketplace Drive at Cook Street also has a large painted concrete wall indicating it is the entrance to Ralphs and mall shops. It is not and is misleading. It actually marks the truck entrance for offloading to the rear of the mall shops. The actual entrance to the mall is a few hundred feet further south on Cook. Don’t know if the addition of signal there was the right thing to do. truck entrances on Twitter Share The new signal at Marketplace Drive at Cook Street also has a large painted concrete wall indicating it is the entrance to Ralphs and mall shops. It is not and is misleading. It actually marks the truck entrance for offloading to the rear of the mall shops. The actual entrance to the mall is a few hundred feet further south on Cook. Don’t know if the addition of signal there was the right thing to do. truck entrances on Linkedin Email The new signal at Marketplace Drive at Cook Street also has a large painted concrete wall indicating it is the entrance to Ralphs and mall shops. It is not and is misleading. It actually marks the truck entrance for offloading to the rear of the mall shops. The actual entrance to the mall is a few hundred feet further south on Cook. Don’t know if the addition of signal there was the right thing to do. truck entrances link

The new signal at Marketplace Drive at Cook Street also has a large painted concrete wall indicating it is the entrance to Ralphs and mall shops. It is not and is misleading. It actually marks the truck entrance for offloading to the rear of the mall shops. The actual entrance to the mall is a few hundred feet further south on Cook. Don’t know if the addition of signal there was the right thing to do. truck entrances

Barrett Smith asked 6 months ago

Thank you for reaching out to the City of Palm Desert and for taking the time to share your observations.
The concrete wall and signage at the Market Place Drive and Cook Street intersection were installed by the private property owner of the adjacent shopping center and are not City-owned or maintained. It would be the property owner's decision to change the location of this sign. While the Market Place Drive entrance primarily serves as a delivery route for trucks accessing the rear of the shops, customers can still reach the shopping center’s main parking area by continuing west on Market Place Drive and turning left near IW Coffee.
The new traffic signal at this location was installed in anticipation of future traffic needs, particularly with the upcoming DSRT Surf resort and other developments planned in the surrounding area. This signal is part of a broader effort to enhance safety and improve circulation as the community continues to grow.
We value your input and thank you again for your engagement with the City. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any additional comments or questions.
Best,
City of Palm Desert

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