City shows off proposed San Pablo Avenue improvements

Residents get the chance to preview proposed improvements to San Pablo Avenue at Open House held Tuesday Afternoon in Palm Desert.

The Open House was hosted place at City Hall in Palm Desert.

Changes include a “road diet” that would remove one vehicle lane in each direction and install round-a-bouts, enhanced sidewalks and buffered bike lanes on the street.

“They said there is a need for parking at lunch so there are ways we are going to look to address that and make it better,” said Jan Harnik, mayor of Palm Desert. Harnik had been talking to residents for a couple of hours about the proposed plan.

The goal of the project is to make San Pablo Avenue part of a pedestrian and bike friendly city and enhance the connection between El Paseo/Highway 111 & the Palm Desert Civic Center and College of the Desert.

The most visible change for drivers will be round-a-bouts which could replace the traditional intersections between Highway 111 and Fred Warring Drive.

“I don’t think a round-a-bout is good. There is not enough room on this street. It’s a busy street and to have more people on bikes or mopeds or golf carts, I think it is too dangerous,” said Debbie Griffiths who lives at one of the intersections.

Last year, the City hosted “Vision San Pablo”, an event that demonstrated proposed changes to San Pablo. The positive feedback from that event helped the City decide on a final design concept.

Watch: Coverage of Vision San Pablo

The Open House will give residents an opportunity to see San Pablo’s conceptual design before its presentation to the Palm Desert City Council on Thursday.

KESQ / CBS Local 2 reporter Joe Galli is at the Open House talking to officials and residents about the changes, watch the full story tonight at 11 p.m. on News Channel / CBS Local 2