Palm Springs Road Improvements Hurting Local Business Plaza

Sosa’s Plaza has been a sort of landmark in Palm Springs. If you’re driving near the corner of Vista Chino and Gene Autry, you can’t miss it.

However due to road improvements, the plaza’s business has come close to a stand-still.

According to Lila Sossa who owns the plaza and Sossa’s Market, business has fallen off and she has rampant vacancies in big part because of a traffic median the city installed along Vista Chino to Gene Autry more than 2 years ago.

She says it has landlocked her property from traffic heading eastbound on Vista Chino. Also, someone leaving the plaza that wanted to go eastbound has to go out of their way since you can’t make a u-turn at Gene Autry.

Tuesday Assistant City Manager Tom Wilson listened to Sossa’s complaints and while he ruled out her idea of breaking up the median for a left hand turn lane for traffic to enter her property, the upshot he had a couple of other ideas.

“We’re gonna do some work with signage, some work with turning movements,” said Wilson. “Maybe some u-turns can be authorized. We’re gonna explore opening an access off Gene Autry.”

Sossa thinks the city’s proposal is a start in helping bring her plaza back to life. “That would help 50 percent,” she said. “I’d like to open up my deli and have people rent my units again. Only time will tell.”

The proposal Tom Wilson discussed could be presented to city council by as soon as next week.