Safety & Preparedness: Traffic
The speed limit on the roads surrounding Canyon Sands range from 50 mph on Gene Autry Blvd and Palm Canyon Drive to 25 mph on S Linden Way and E Seven Lakes Dr.
Diving at unsafe speeds and reckless driving have long been safety issues on several of these roads. The number of recent accidents and incidents can only be expected to continue to increase unless we clearly voice our concern to the City of Palm Springs and Caltrans to find a solution.
The City of Palm Springs has specific guidelines on addressing the topic of "Traffic Calming". According to their website,
Traffic calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized street users.
City of Palm Springs: "Neighborhood input is essential"
The term "Speed Zoning" is also defined on the City Of Palm Springs website.
At Melody Ranch Neighborhood Organization meetings in both 2017 and 2018, representatives of the City of Palm Springs et. al. attempted to discourage residents from requesting traffic calming measures by perpetrating myths about the topic of "speed zoning".
Listed on the City of Palm Springs website is a document entitled, "Effective Speed Zoning, Why and How" by the Automobile Club of Southern California. It explains Speed Zoning at length and lists common myths about Speed Zoning. On page 15 is the following myth:
MYTH: Establishing speed limits on California roads and streets is regulated by the state with little local control and input.
FACT: Although there are time-tested statewide and national standards to regulate the posting of speed limits on certain roads and streets, substantial flexibility in those standards exists for local agencies to post speed limits that are appropriate for and adjusted to the local conditions, while preserving the reasonable expectations of all drivers using those roads. Some of these include:
Specific allowances for a 5 mph reduction to the recommended posted speed limit for conditions not readily apparent to drivers, such as crash history, roadside conditions, and the higher-than-normal presence of bicycle and pedestrian traffic, equestrian traffic, etc. (California Vehicle Code section 22358.5).,
- Any street that is not on the maps submitted by a local agency to the Federal Highway Administration and meets the following criteria is exempt from compliance with the uniform state standards:
- Roadway width of not more than 40 feet
- No more than a half-mile of uninterrupted length (examples of interruptions are signals and stop signs).
- No more than one traffic lane in each direction. [California Vehicle Code section 40802 (b)(1)]
Over a period of 18 months, Canyon Sands Home Owners Association Board took active steps to formally request the City of Palm Springs Traffic Department to enact traffic calming measures on roads surrounding our community. To date, we have not been successful in resolving residents' concerns about traffic and speed in our neighborhood.
Your support and involvement is needed to help induce the City of Palm Springs to enact traffic calming measures on the streets adjacent to Canyon Sands! If you have an interest in participating in identifying an effective solution to the safety issues caused by speed and traffic issues in our immediate community, please send an email to safety@canyonsandshoa.com to start a conversation with other like-minded residents and to take action. While your participation as a committee member is welcomed and encouraged, it’s not necessary to be part of a working group to find a solution.
Palm Springs One - Melody Ranch Neighborhood Organization
As of the May 1, 2017 meeting of Melody Ranch the Palm Spring Police advised resident to contact the following in the case of speeding cars in the Melody Ranch neighborhood which include E Seven Lakes Dr., S Linden Way, Gene Autry Trail, and Palm Canyon Dr:
Lt. Gustavo Araizo
Office Bryan Perez
760-323-8105