Rancho Mirage opts out of valley-wide CVAG plan to improve traffic flow and air quality
Nicole Hayden
Rancho Mirage has opted out of another regional project led by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments.
First it was the CV Link, now Rancho Mirage is saying "no" to the traffic signal synchronization project that includes every other city in the valley. CVAG officials say Rancho Mirage's non-participation creates a problematic hole in the system, while city officials say they want sole control over their city's traffic lights.
The $75 million project aims to synchronize all traffic signals in the valley to improve traffic flow and the region's air quality. CVAG argues that the project must be a regional project, as opposed to a city-by-city project, to ensure that traffic flow is seamless.
CVAG's Executive Committee is slated to vote on the project for final approval on Feb. 26. Rancho Mirage is the only city that has notified CVAG that they will not be participating in the project so far. However, Indian Wells abstained from the CVAG Technical Advisory Committee vote on Feb. 12.
"The goal is that motorists will experience fewer stops, which translates to reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions which improves air quality," said Erica Felci, CVAG Governments Project Manager. "It also minimizes diversion of traffic to local and residential neighborhoods, potentially improving safety and traffic conditions in those areas."
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Felci said since Rancho Mirage's signals won't fully be coordinated with the rest of the valley, traffic flow will be disrupted and drivers can expect longer wait times.
On Jan. 3, Rancho Mirage City Manager Randal Bynder sent a letter informing CVAG that the city would not be participating in the project, but he said that the city would "continue to work with our neighbors regarding traffic coordination and signal synchronization."
Bynder wrote Rancho Mirage was not comfortable surrendering all control of the city's traffic signals over to CVAG as the association is assuming "lead agency status."
The letter states that Rancho Mirage has effectively managed their traffic on their own for many years and "feel that nothing is to be gained for the city by becoming a signatory to the proposed participation agreement." Bynder said that the city has already invested heavily in its own traffic signal synchronization system and is continuing to update the system. Rancho Mirage's own synchronization update project is being funded by $2 million in federal grants.
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On Feb. 5, CVAG released a staff report in response to Rancho Mirage's decision to opt out of the project.
"The non-participation of one Coachella Valley community, particularly in the central part of the urbanized Coachella Valley, negatively impacts the overall efficacy of regional synchronization and regional smart-city initiatives," the CVAG staff report states.
CVAG argues that the city "will miss out on several million dollars in signal equipment and software for the project, which are fully covered through federal and regional funding." While Rancho Mirage may purchase the equipment and software on its own, the technology will not hold the same value since it will not be connected to the regional system. CVAG would also take the burden of the long-term costs to update the hardware and software for the regional system. If Rancho Mirage officials update their signals, they would then have to take on that cost burden themselves.
"We haven't fully determined how much will be spent in each city," Felci said. "But considering that major roadways like Ramon Road and Highway 111 go through Rancho Mirage, it is safe to estimate that the city would have benefited from millions in federal funding."
Bynder is still not convinced.
"The City of Rancho Mirage maintains a high level of responsiveness and is directly accountable to its residents," said Bynder said in an email. The loss of local control of our traffic flow and signals is not in our community's best interest. We also do not believe it is responsible to obligate public funds available for much needed street and road repair towards unproven future technology."
Rancho Mirage Economic Development Director Sean Smith said he wasn't sure exactly how much the city would have needed to contribute to the project and how much would be covered by CVAG and federal funding, but "whatever the amount, if further takes away from money that could be used for needed existing road repair and maintenance."
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Felci said this isn't the first time that Rancho Mirage has opted out of a CVAG project. She said Rancho Mirage began lessening their interest in regional cooperation in spring 2015 when the Rancho Mirage City Council first met in a special closed session to discuss suing CVAG over CV Link. Following that meeting, the relationship continued to falter.
"(Rancho Mirage) slashed the amount of funding they historically provided to CVAG-led homelessness programs. They chose to partner with a city in Los Angeles County, rather than their own neighbors, on community choice aggregation. And they have dismissed CVAG's repeated offers to find compromises on regional transportation projects," Felci said. "Ultimately, it's the residents across the valley who lose out, because regional projects are most effective when everyone participates."
Isaiah Hagerman, Rancho Mirage administrative services director, said the city's community choice energy program, the Rancho Mirage Energy Authority slated to launch May 1, 2018, is the perfect example of why the city chose not to participate in some of CVAG's programs.
"RMEA will save our community five percent on its electrical usage, which community-wide is estimated at $1.4 million after the first year of operations," Hagerman said. "While the CVAG CCA program is delayed and isn't saving anyone a single dollar. There isn't a conspiracy between CVAG and Rancho Mirage. Rancho Mirage goes through a thoughtful analysis when analyzing projects or participation in projects. When Rancho Mirage can deliver a better program or result for our community, we do it ourselves. It's that simple. I find it odd that CVAG continually attacks Rancho Mirage, a CVAG member, for making decisions that are in the best interests of our residents and community."
Desert Sun reporter Nicole Hayden covers the cities of La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. She can be reached at Nicole.Hayden@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4623. Follow her on Twitter @nicoleandpig.