What is being done to make Coachella Valley roads safer for pedestrians?

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) - As pedestrian deaths continue to raise concerns across the Coachella Valley, local cities are looking at more than just driver behavior when considering how to make roads safer.

Speed limits, street lighting, crosswalk placement and the design of intersections can all influence whether a driver has enough time to see and react to someone walking across the road.

Recent data shows the issue stretches across the valley. Palm Springs recorded 20 pedestrian deaths between 2021 and 2026, while Cathedral City recorded seven between 2022 and 2026. Other valley cities have also reported multiple pedestrian fatalities in recent years.

For people who regularly walk around the valley, those numbers reflect a concern they can feel on the road.

Rhondda Kerrpirbazari said she walks often but does not always feel confident that approaching drivers are paying attention.

“I do feel sometimes drivers aren't really cognizant,” Kerrpirbazari said. “I walk a lot, so I'm very cognizant of drivers and where they are and pray that they stop or see us.”

She said darkness can make that concern even greater.

Kerrpirbazari pointed to limited street lighting in some areas of the valley and said people often walk later in the day during the hotter months, when temperatures begin to cool.

She also said she frequently notices distracted drivers and people looking at their phones while she walks.

Cathedral City targets intersections with crash history

Cathedral City is one of several valley cities working on infrastructure changes aimed at reducing pedestrian crashes.

City Engineer Armando Garcia Baldizzone said pedestrian safety has been a focus for the city for years. Since 2016, he said Cathedral City has secured roughly $9 million through state and federal programs for pedestrian safety improvements.

Those projects include high-visibility crosswalks, updated curb ramps, flashing beacons and upgrades to traffic signals.

“We are improving the intersections, like putting high visibility crosswalks, updating the curb ramps, installing flashing beacons,” Baldizzone said.

The city does not choose those locations at random.

Baldizzone said Cathedral City uses its local road safety plan to evaluate intersections, including crash history and other technical factors, before deciding where improvements could have the greatest impact. The city then seeks state or federal funding for qualifying projects.

Some of those improvements are already planned for areas residents may notice.

Baldizzone said the city plans a pedestrian crossing near Landau Elementary School, a new traffic signal at Cathedral Canyon Drive and Canyon Shores, and another major pedestrian crossing near Cathedral Canyon Drive and Ortega Road.

Lower speeds without slowing traffic

Cathedral City has also lowered speed limits on some roads as part of its effort to reduce crashes.

Baldizzone said the city has seen crashes decrease following those changes and said the lower limits have not significantly affected traffic flow.

“What we notice is that the accidents have been reduced,” Baldizzone said. “The reduction of the speed limit didn't affect the traffic at all.”

Lowering the number on a speed-limit sign, however, represents only one tool cities can use.

Transportation safety research has found that lower speed limits can become more effective when cities combine them with infrastructure changes and enforcement strategies. Road width, crossing distance, lighting and the placement of crosswalks can all influence how quickly drivers travel and how easily they see pedestrians.

New lighting coming to Cathedral City intersections

Lighting has become another major part of Cathedral City's current work.

Baldizzone said the city is upgrading all 49 of its signalized intersections as part of one project.

The work includes upgrades to traffic signal equipment as well as new LED safety lighting designed to improve visibility around intersections.

“The new LED lights are going to be installed,” Baldizzone said. “So there's going to be more lighting at the intersection for safety.”

The city expects to complete that project by October.

Nighttime visibility is particularly important in pedestrian safety. Nationally, a large majority of pedestrian deaths happen after dark. In the Coachella Valley, long stretches of roadway can also have relatively limited lighting compared with more densely developed areas.

For Cathedral City, Baldizzone said the work will continue beyond the projects currently under construction.

Engineers plan to continue reviewing crash data and individual intersections to determine where future improvements should go.

The goal, he said, is to create safer routes regardless of whether someone is driving, riding a bicycle or walking.

For pedestrians like Kerrpirbazari, the changes come down to something even simpler: making sure the person behind the wheel sees the person crossing the road before it is too late.