CV Link nears completion in Indio, Coachella, La Quinta

It’s been more than a decade since plans were hatched for a 40-mile trail through the Coachella Valley that could be used by hikers, cyclists and even golf cart drivers, but the path known as the CV Link is nearly complete.

Some sections of CV Link have been open for several years. Construction on the project began in 2017, and the first 2.3-mile section, running from Vista Chino in Palm Springs to Ramon Road in Cathedral City, opened a year later. More paths have since opened in Palm Springs and Palm Desert.

Now, the rest of the roughly $100 million project — including new sections in the east valley — is on track to be completed by the end of the year. Officials with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, which runs CV Link, say the new trails will be “substantially complete” by then — ready for public use, but still waiting on some landscaping improvements.

On a recent summer morning, workers continued to put the finishing touches on a section of the CV Link near the new Jefferson Street underpass in La Quinta. Known as Promontory Point, the spot has a new bridge over the Whitewater Wash that connects the eastern path to Indio, Coachella and Thermal. It’s also a future access point for the Arts and Music Line, which is set to connect to the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals in Indio.

CV Link largely follows Whitewater Wash, though it deviates from that path in some areas. Its progress has required overcoming a number of bureaucratic hurdles, including approval of the plan by the Coachella Valley Water District and acquisition of rights of way along the river.

“It’s really incredible,” said Tom Kirk, executive director of CVAG, standing at Promontory Point on a recent morning. “It’s hard to do that in an urban environment, to come back and retrofit a project like that.”

About 13.5 miles of new trails will begin at an access point near Washington Street in La Quinta, then turn north near Interstate 10 in Indio, then run south along the creek through Coachella and Thermal. The trail will also pass through Shields Park in Indio and Sierra Vista Park in Coachella.

Cycling enthusiasts believe CV Link will encourage more people to safely spend time outdoors, but critics — some in cities that rejected the project — say the benefits are overstated.

$100M project hit by COVID-19 delays

The first study on what was to become the CV Link project was conducted in 2009, and CVAG officials completed the project master plan in 2015, with construction work beginning in 2017.

Although the project was initially planned to span the entire valley, two cities—Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells—have withdrawn from the project, with officials expressing concerns about ongoing costs, funding sources and road safety. City residents also made their voices heard through advisory votes in 2016, effectively halting the project locally.

The absence of Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage left two gaps, including an isolated section of CV Link in Palm Desert, which has invested in its own bike trails through the city, about four miles away.

CV Link had a projected price tag of $100 million, and the organization is using about that much, about $104.8 million, from a mix of state, federal and local funds, according to the CVAG report. Kirk tallied another $20 million for rights-of-way purchases and other costs, but said those remained “surprisingly close” to early estimates because the contracts were signed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had some delays, (but) they had to stick to their prices,” Kirk said of the construction crews. “If we did everything today, it probably would have cost us $150 million, so $100 million seems like a good deal.”

CVAG officials plan to study the costs of maintaining the trail as new segments open. When the first phase of CV Link opened, annual routine maintenance costs were typically less than $4,000 per mile, according to Eric Felci, CVAG’s chief operating officer.

Filled with eight inches of concrete, CV Link will have the second-strongest road structure in the Valley, second only to Interstate 10, according to Kirk. He said the Coachella Valley Water District needed the thick pavement to ensure heavy equipment could enter the wash during major flooding.

“This thing is built to last,” Kirk said.

CV Link’s popularity has soared during the pandemic

The question remains whether CV Link will deliver on all its promises. A 2012 study found it could bring about $1.47 billion in economic and health benefits to the Valley and create hundreds of jobs, although Felci noted that the study was conducted in a different way than the one that was ultimately approved.

It’s also unknown how many people currently use CV Link regularly, as Kirk said CVAG is focused on building the project for now. Felci said CVAG has no immediate plans to measure ridership, “but it’s certainly something we’ll consider as we consider ways to encourage people to walk and ride along CV Link.”

While the number of future users remains unknown, CV Link insiders broadly agree that the open trails have been popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yurema Arvizu, board president of the nonprofit Friends of CV Link, recalls going to her local Walmart and finding the bikes sold out — part of a nationwide trend in the early days of the pandemic.

“A lot of people were laid off or were temporarily working from home, but they were trying to find something to do, especially something they could do with their family,” Arvizu said.

Arvizu, a Coachella resident, has gotten involved with a local cycling group known as the Blockheads, joining them on local rides from city to city. But she said there are “always risks” in sharing the road with cars, and the addition of new CV Link trails in the East Valley will help reduce those risks.

“A project dedicated to cycling or alternative modes of transportation really changes the rules of safety and really encourages people to continue cycling,” Arvizu said.

Arvizu said use of CV Link’s routes has “definitely declined” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among families, which she attributed to people returning to in-person work.

The board chairman also admitted that fewer people use CV Link during the summer months, but noted that some people still go there early in the morning.

“I think the timeline that (CV Link) is going to be completed by the end of the year … and that it’s going to happen in the cooler months, I think that’s definitely going to drive uptake of the link,” Arvizu said.

Kirk said he believes there is an increase in activity in the valley during the summer because people are “more fit.”

“Those of us who have been here a while … you could swear there was nobody there in the summer,” Kirk said. “Now you see people up and down (Bump and Grind Trail), and sometimes I wonder if there aren’t more people on Bump and Grind in the summer mornings than in the winter.”

“Still, I am sure there will be more activity during the winter months,” he added.

What could be improved?

While generally supportive, Friends of CV Link still sees some issues with the completed trails. Arvizu pointed to the section of CV Link running north of Ramon Road as an area of concern.

“A lot of the concerns that people have had, and this is concerning, is about Ramon Road, where it ends, there’s no real safe way to get to the area where it’s located,” Arvizu said. “Even though CVAG has looked at different options and different routes, it’s difficult. I hope they can continue to work with the city and try to find alternatives.”

CVAG is currently working on an extension running from the south side of Ramon Road to Dinah Shore Drive and Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City, which is expected to be completed this year. CVAG’s interactive map also shows the possibility of a future underpass at Ramon Road for CV Link.

“In any kind of policy implementation and any kind of project, there will always be these cracks,” Arvizu said. “So I hope we can continue to connect everything.”

Arvizu also raised the possibility of renewing talks with cities that chose not to be part of CV Link, though some opposition remains. Indian Wells council member Ty Peabody — an outspoken critic of CV Link during the planning phase — said he was glad they didn’t join the valley-wide project.

“I thought there would be a lot more construction, a lot more excitement,” Peabody said.

Peabody noted that cyclists can still use bike paths in Indian Wells and questioned the popularity of CV Link. He pointed to a section along the creek near Escena in Palm Springs, saying there was “really no one there.”

Peabody said he had always been skeptical of the economic benefits estimated by CV Link. “It certainly didn’t have the economic impact that people were hoping for,” he added.

It’s also unlikely the city will reconsider the project unless public opinion changes. A 2016 advisory vote in Indian Wells effectively says that any consideration of CV Link within city limits would require further public approval.

“I don’t think anyone — especially those who live in Desert Horizons or Indian Wells Country Club — would ever want to take the trail off the sidewalks and put it closer to their homes,” Peabody said.

Rancho Mirage Mayor Steve Downs noted that a large majority (about 80%) of city residents also voted against CV Link in 2016, adding that the city would need to hold another referendum to reconsider the issue.

“City residents have made their opinions on CV Link clear,” Downs said in an email. “To date, I have not seen any change in that sentiment.”

He also noted that there are dozens of miles of accessible bike paths in Rancho Mirage, saying, “We enjoy and nurture partnerships with local cycling clubs and enthusiasts, and are often complimented on our responsiveness, cleanliness, and ability to make it easier for cyclists to navigate Rancho Mirage.”

Despite some opposition, CV Link could later expand to other areas of the valley. In Desert Hot Springs, city officials are working with CVAG on preliminary planning for an extension connecting it to the rest of the trail, while a potential extension to the North Shore near the Salton Sea remains conceptual.

Arvizu was also excited about the new Arts and Music Line, a nine-mile bike path planned along Avenue 48 that will run through La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. CVAG is spearheading the $46 million project, and construction bids are expected to begin late next year, according to Felci.

Although further stages are planned, cycling enthusiasts are demanding paths, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

“We know people are actively looking for trails and waiting,” Arvizu said of feedback from table-to-reach and outreach events. “All we keep hearing is that (people) are excited about everything being open, connected, and that they’re going to be able to take a long trip down the link.”

Tom Coulter covers Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Contact him at [email protected].