La Quinta is getting a facelift and their village streets project has broke ground. The $13.5 million project will be completed in 3 phases with completion sometime around October 2020. The improvements will bring a reduction in traffic lanes to the Calle Tampico along with wider bike and golf cart lanes as well as mid-street crosswalks and roundabouts in 5 major intersections.
Eisenhower Drive will be reduced from four to two traffic lands and this, in turn, will hopefully make La Quinta Village a safer place for walkers, pedestrians and bikers. This last Tuesday, a 20-minute ceremony was conducted with about 30 people including residents, contractors and city officials. This will be the largest capital improvement construction project to be completed in the La Quinta Village area.
The project will be completed in 3 phases:
Phase 1 will be completed this August through next January 2020 and will include the intersections of Calle Tampico between Avenida Bermudas and Washington Street installing roundabouts.
Phase 2 will be completed around May 202 and will include installation of a roundabout at Calla Sinaloa and Bermudas and make improvements to Eisenhower and Desert Club Drive.
Phase 3 should be completed around October 2020 and will begin after the May completion of Phase 2 and will including the installation of roundabouts at Calle Tampico and Eisenhouser Drive and Avenida Montezuma.
The project will be funded with a $7.3 million state active transportation grant, $3.7 million in Measure A road maintenance and rehabilitation funds, $70,000 in utility reimbursements and from Coachella Valley Water District and $2.52 million from the city's complete streets budget. Granite Construction Co. and Southeast Engineering will oversee the project.
Why Roundabouts?
These traffic revisions are designed to help reduce gas consumption by keeping traffic moving and provide added safety to walked and bicyclists. The crosswalks will be separated from the roadway intersection allowing pedestrians to be seen from a greater distance. Roundabouts have been known to reduce pedestrian and vehicle collisions by 40% and fatalities by 90% [Source]