The city of Desert Hot Springs has announced the construction of an estimated $9.7 million infrastructure project along a dangerous stretch of Palm Drive expected to commence next spring.
The Palm Drive South project will be built in Palm Drive from Casino Ventura to the Interstate 10 Freeway. The project will feature “a new traffic signal at Palm Drive at 20th Avenue, 3.7 miles of new curbs, gutters and sidewalks on both sides of Palm Drive, 138 new street lights, new bike lanes and crosswalks, an asphalt rehabilitation and ADA ramps,” according to a statement by the city on Tuesday.
The Desert Hot Springs Police Department recently announced a trio of collisions along Palm Drive between Dillon Road and the Interstate 10 Freeway, with numerous reported injuries and at least 17 citations.
On Dec. 4, a person suffered minor injuries in a three-vehicle collision in the intersection of Palm and Dillon about 9:45 a.m.
A head-on collision occurred around half an hour later at Palm at 20th Avenue, in which one person was severely injured.
At the same location last Saturday, two people suffered significant injuries in a hit-and-run crash. Officers arrived around 2:20 p.m. and located a pickup truck and off-road utility vehicle.
Authorities said the two passengers of the off-road vehicle were transported to the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. The driver of that vehicle attempted to flee the scene on foot, but was later found. The driver of the pickup was cooperative with law enforcement and remained at the scene.
An investigation by the Major Accident Investigation team revealed the utility vehicle crossed Palm from east to west and failed to yield to southbound traffic, causing the crash with the pickup.
Anyone with information regarding last Saturday’s crash was urged to contact Sgt. Saucier at csaucier@dhspd.com.
Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Jim Henson announced on social media on Tuesday that the department will conduct heavy traffic enforcement along Palm Drive to reduce further traffic collisions.