There is nothing like the feeling of the wind in your hair and face while riding a bike or even when you are sprinting the last mile on your run. Making such a ride or run on a dedicated trial is ever better in the Coachella Valley. After 14 years of perseverance, the Coachella Valley proudly celebrated the grand opening of CV Link – a 40-mile pathway connecting communities from Palm Springs to Coachella. Led by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), this multimodal corridor was designed and built for cyclists, pedestrians, and low-speed electric vehicles, offering a safer, scenic alternative to busy roadways.

Construction on the 40-mile corridor began in 2017 and was built mostly along the Whitewater River from Highway 111 and the Chino Wash in North Palm Springs to Airport Boulevard in the City of Coachella. CVAG, RCTC, and numerous partners across the county and the state worked together to bring this multimodal trail to life. Through Measure A, the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax measure for transportation improvements in Riverside County, RCTC was able to support CV Link, and bring innovative mobility options to Coachella Valley that transform how people move.

The new pathway features a dual-path structure: a broad concrete lane catering to cyclists and low-speed electric vehicles, alongside a narrower decomposed granite trail designed for pedestrians and runners. To enhance safety, accessibility, and enjoyment, the facility features numerous shade structures, water stations, benches, bike racks, wayfinding signs, and solar powered LED lights along the pathway and at access points along each section of CV Link. The new trail will also be able to host future events like walks, races, and marathons.

CV Link marks an important step forward to building a resilient, more interconnected transportation system that provides options to residents in all corners of the County. Over the next 15 years, Riverside County will experience one of the largest population increases in the country. RCTC designed the Traffic Relief Plan – a countywide transportation investment blueprint – to address the transportation needs of our rapidly growing region. The Plan includes projects, such as the transformative Coachella Valley Rail, that will provide residents, commuters, and disadvantaged communities with more travel options.

RCTC congratulates CVAG and project partners on delivering the innovative CV Link and looks forward to continuing the momentum on Coachella Valley Rail, CV Sync, and the extension of CV Link to create a more mobile Coachella Valley and beyond.

Over the last few years, grants for transportation projects have become increasingly competitive as agencies work to address the mobility needs of growing communities. Not only is the grant application process lengthy and complex, but an award is also not guaranteed. Recently, the Riverside County Transportation Commission worked closely with the Riverside Transit Agency, the city of Coachella, and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) to assemble a series of grant applications for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) grants program.

The following five Riverside County projects are approved for funding through the REAP 2.0 program:

• Riverside Transit Agency GoMicro Microtransit Pilot Program Extension ($2,378,635)
• CVAG Vehicle Miles Traveled Study ($2,005,000)
• Riverside County Transportation Commission Core Capacity Innovative Transit Study ($3,000,000)
• City of Coachella Rail Station Feasibility Study and Integrated Land Use and Transit Network ($2,005,000)
• CVAG (CV) Link Community Connectors Analysis ($1,700,000)

The REAP 2.0 program was open to County Transportation Commissions, such as the RCTC, to apply for a limited amount of funding for projects aimed at reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and vehicles miles traveled. Through these projects, RCTC is not only working to address issues related to congestion and air pollution, but also addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities and encouraging sustainable development that produces economic and environmental benefits.

As part of the REAP 2.0 program, submissions had to demonstrate that the studies and projects would eventually encourage housing development closer to where people live and work, reducing the need to travel long distances. These grants will accelerate the state’s progress towards housing goals and climate commitments through a strengthened partnership between the state, its regions, and local entities.

The Point: New Interchange Provides Congestion Relief for Indio and eastern Coachella Valley

The $80.9 million I-10 and Jefferson Interchange modernization project provides congestion relief for thousands of motorists.

Following tremendous growth in and around Indio, the project delivers on a promise to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. The project also caps a decades-long infrastructure improvement initiative known as the I-10 Coachella Valley Corridor Improvement Project.

“The grand opening of the Jefferson Street interchange is an important milestone, and a reflection of the promises kept in the I-10 Coachella Valley Corridor Improvement Project,” said Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, who is a member of RCTC and chairman of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) Executive Committee.

“We’ve worked for years to improve the way traffic moves along Interstate 10, and we are now better poised to handle the residential and commercial growth that is coming to the eastern Coachella Valley. This couldn’t have happened without the tireless work from all of the project’s stakeholders.”

RCTC worked with Riverside County, the City of Indio, Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), and the California Department of Transportation to help deliver this valuable project to county residents.

“The City of Indio is excited to be celebrating the completion of the Jefferson Street interchange,” Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes said. “This project creates a new gateway to Indio, opening up economic opportunities in the northern part of the City and ensuring that our residents and visitors can access the city safely and efficiently.”

The new Jefferson project replaces an interchange that was originally constructed in 1960 and updated in 1972. Reconstructing the interchange was one of the top regional needs for many years, due to a configuration that was confusing and constricting to traffic flow as well as significant growth that has occurred since the interchange’s original design.

The project demolished the existing bridge and replaced it with a larger, six-lane bridge while also modifying on and off-ramps to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. The project helped create nearly 1,500 jobs and was underway between Spring 2015 and this August.

According to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ 2017 traffic count, about 16,500 vehicles use the overpass daily.

Funding for the project came from a variety of federal, state, and local funding sources. As responsible stewards of Riverside County transportation dollars, RCTC and funding partners have been at work since 2000 to fund, plan, and deliver this project to county residents.