Palm Desert, CA
Palm Desert has been awarded $5.68 million in federal funding to design and construct street safety improvements near schools and along high-risk corridors, part of a nationally competitive effort to reduce serious traffic injuries and fatalities.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, a nationwide initiative supporting Vision Zero strategies in communities across the country. Palm Desert was one of 67 jurisdictions selected nationwide to receive an implementation grant in this funding cycle.
“This is one of the largest federal safety grants the city has received and a major investment in protecting people where they are most vulnerable,” said Mayor Evan Trubee. “It allows us to move from planning to real, on-the-ground improvements that make streets safer for students, families and older adults.”
The $5,684,932 grant will fund both the design and construction of safety projects identified through the city’s existing transportation and safety plans. While specific projects will be refined during the design phase, improvements are expected to be visible beginning in 2027, with construction occurring in phases.
Planned improvement areas include streets and corridors serving Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, Palm Desert Charter Middle School, George Washington Charter School, James Earl Carter Elementary School and Palm Desert High School.
Proposed improvements include enhanced crosswalks, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, pedestrian-scale lighting, sidewalk upgrades and speed management measures. Many projects will be located along Palm Desert’s high-injury network, where the highest concentration of severe traffic collisions has been identified.
The grant supports implementation of Palm Desert’s Vision Zero Strategy, part of a broader national and international movement focused on eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious injuries through safer street design and public education.
In addition to physical improvements, funding will support continued public safety education through the city’s Very Important Pedestrian (VIP) campaign, which promotes safe driving behaviors and pedestrian awareness.
Project design and public outreach are expected to begin in 2026, with construction following as designs are completed.
For more information about Palm Desert’s Vision Zero efforts, visit www.PalmDesert.gov/VisionZero.