Pedestrian safety project approved for dangerous Desert Hot Springs road
Pedestrian safety on a dangerous stretch of road in Desert Hot Springs will be improved following several deaths and injuries on the street.
24 new street lights will be added to Palm Drive between Two Bunch Palms Trail and Buena Vista Avenue. The project will also synchronize all traffic signals along Palm Drive between Camino Aventura and Pierson Blvd.
The project comes after members of the Desert Hot Springs community called on their city council to take action following the March 2018 death of Pamela Carrillo, a 17-year-old high school student who was killed crossing the street.
“Do something,” pleaded Patricia Arellano, the mother of 17-year-old girl who was killed in March, urging city council to take action. “Don’t let one of your kids be the next because it really hurts and it hurts really bad. … I know I’m not getting my daughter back but at least this happened for a reason: maybe a light can be there or a crosswalk can be there for more kids.”
This week, city council unanimously approved new safety measures for Palm Drive, including street lighting, enhanced sidewalks, and an added crosswalk and traffic light at the intersection where Carillo was killed.
“You’re gonna have 22 new street lights here that are LED that point straight down onto the streets, that wont ruin the night sky but they’ll enhance visually what’s going on the streets,” said Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas. “So if you see someone on the streets slow down.”
Residents nearby said the changes are absolutely necessary.
“I think it’s a good idea that they put more traffic lights and more pedestrian lights for people to cross and be more safe,” said Desert Hot Springs resident Diana Navas.
Mayor Matas said he hopes this answers that mother’s desperate pleas for increased safety.
“She lost a child,” Matas said. “She came out as a concerned citizen and made it clear what she thought would make this intersection safer. She knows she can’t bring her daughter’s life back but she was able to make a difference in the community and hopefully save another life.”
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