Road Construction In The Valley All Wet

After having a brief but needed visit from the rain gods, it is quite apparent that many of our local streets are more suited for Cambodia than the Coachella Valley. Shoddy construction, engineering flaws and ridiculously long lengths of projects combine for a witches brew of transportation poison here in the Valley. Here are a few examples:

Valley Flooding

While we are blessed to have very few days of inclement weather, it is ridiculous that the same areas flood year and after year with little or no effort being taken by elected officials or CVAG to to alleviate the situation. They should be raising hell about it. I realize that there supposedly is being a bridge scheduled to be built on Vista Chino between the Cathedral City and Palm Springs but does anyone have a timetable on that?

The flooding on the Cathedral City side of the Dinah Shore Drive Bridge is ludicrous. This bridge is only 16 years old and there has been no attempt at seriously addressing this problem.

Length Of Construction

Why is it that most Valley road construction takes a huge amount of time?  (I'll provide part of the answer blow. It's a classic.) While I am grateful that the addition of 2 lanes and a traffic light at Vista Chino and Gene Autry which commenced construction in 1951 was recently finished, I still wonder about the construction on Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra administration. Started recently, at the pace it is going. it may be completed in time for the tricentennial, in 2076!!!

Partial Reason For Glacial Delays

This s a good one. For 15 years, I have been arguing that the Valley via CVAG needs to partner with and engineering school and get an underground schematic map. Then add to it as new utility lines are installed. There is currently no such map. Many a road project in the Valley is delayed when they hit unmarked utilities. It would be worth spending up to 500 grand to get this started. It would make a huge difference in our Valley. What makes this situation even more disturbing is the fact many of these pipes were laid so long ago. In the 1980's and 90s. Yes many of our towns have no idea what lies beneath.

Political Will

Roads are neither liberal or conservative. gay, straight or bisexual. They will get you to your destination whether you are white, back or brown. Your net worth or lack thereof means nothing. To wrap it up, safe transportation should be the top priority of every elected official. The staffs of all should co-operate in this manner, Will they?

Hold on while I get my scuba mask and oxygen tank while I traverse down Cathedral Canyon.

Steve kelly is a blogger and broadcaster in the Coachella Valley. He can be reached at KellysCorner227@gmail.com or followed on twitter at @skellynj