CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: MAY 12, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS & ESTIMATE (PS&E), AND
AUTHORIZATION TO BID THE SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE ROAD
RECONFIGURATION, CITY PROJECT 22-21A
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Engineering Services Department
SUMMARY:
The construction documents (Plans, Specifications and Estimate) are completed, and in accordance with Section 7.03.04 of the Procurement and Contracting Code, the City Council shall approve and adopt the plans, specifications and work details and authorize the bid request for all public projects in excess of $220,000. Approval of this item will allow Staff to proceed with bidding for the South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A (“the Project”).
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Approve the plans, specifications and estimate, and authorize Staff to advertise and solicit bids for the South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A; and
2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents.
BACKGROUND:
In December 2021, the City developed the Palm Springs Pedestrian Master Plan, which identified 37 locations, consisting of street segments and intersections, for further evaluation of potential pedestrian safety enhancements. One such project was the South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration. The focus of this project is to improve pedestrian, bicyclist, and vehicle safety through lane reconfiguration, bike lanes, enhanced crossings, and sidewalk gap closures where feasible. The limits of the proposed lane reconfiguration are shown in Figure 1 on the following page.
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 2
Authorize RFB for South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A Figure 1: South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A On January 10, 2024, staff solicited proposals from the City’s on-call traffic engineering consultants to prepare a traffic study, conduct extensive community outreach, and develop Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E) for the Project.
On February 29, 2024, the City Council approved a Task Order with Kimley-Horn for traffic engineering services. Between September 2024 and February 2025, three in-person community meetings were held to gather feedback and keep residents engaged as the project progressed through the conceptual design stage. An online interactive map tool and a dedicated project email address were also used to collect additional input. Affected communities and businesses were notified via email and mailed notices. Throughout the process, more than 120 comments were received, and all feedback was considered in the design. Throughout the design process, the design team and Staff coordinated with the Fire Department and Police Department to confirm no issues with the proposed road reconfiguration along South Palm Canyon. There were no conflicts with the selected bike lane and turn lane design.
On February 3, 2025, a call for projects was published by RCTC seeking applications for the SB 821 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program. This year, the program’s maximum funding request was $727,986 per application and $1,455,973 per jurisdiction. The City submitted two applications, with one being the South Palm Canyon Road Reconfiguration, and the other being Racquet Club Road Reconfiguration.
On June 11, 2025, RCTC approved 13 projects for funding out of the 33 applications received. The South Palm Canyon Road Reconfiguration was selected as one of six in the Coachella Valley. The Racquet Club Road Reconfiguration was also selected by RCTC.
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 3
Authorize RFB for South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A On September 10, 2025, the City Council approved an agreement with RCTC to accept SB 821 grant funding in an amount not to exceed $727,986 for the Project.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The contract documents for the Project prepared by our traffic engineering consultant Kimley-Horn have been reviewed and approved by Staff. The scope of the Project consists of a roadway reconfiguration along South Palm Canyon Drive, including the conversion of the existing four-lane roadway to a three-lane configuration with one travel lane in each direction and a center two-way left turn lane. The reconfiguration will provide Class II bicycle lanes with a striped buffer on both sides of the roadway and incorporate curbside parking where feasible. The typical existing and proposed cross sections are shown in Figure 2 & 3 below and on the following page.
Figure 2: Typical existing cross section along South Palm Canyon Road
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 4
Authorize RFB for South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A Figure 3: Typical proposed cross section along South Palm Canyon Road Additional improvements include pavement rehabilitation, upgraded signing and striping, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to address non-compliant sidewalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian facilities. The Project also includes sidewalk gap closures where feasible, enhanced pedestrian crossing treatments, and other safety enhancements to improve overall multimodal access and connectivity along the corridor.
With City Council approval, Staff will advertise the Project in the Desert Sun, and utilize the procurement program, “PlanetBids” ™, to allow the submission of bids electronically.
The following tentative schedule has been identified for the bid process:
Action Date
Notice Inviting Bids to be posted May 13, 2026
Deadline for receipt of bids/ bid opening June 11, 2026 Contract awarded by City Council July 8, 2026
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 5
Authorize RFB for South Palm Canyon Drive Road Reconfiguration, City Project 22-21A The contract documents will be provided free of charge to prospective bidders through the PlanetBids™ system. Staff recommends that the City Council approve the contract documents and authorize Staff to formally solicit construction bids for the Project.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines Section 15301 “Existing Facilities”, Class 1 projects consist of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Therefore, Staff has determined that the Project is considered categorically exempt from CEQA and Notice of Exemption will be filed with the Riverside County Clerk.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:
This item aligns with the following City Council Strategic Plan Broad Goal: Public Safety and Community Services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Project construction cost is estimated to be $3,650,000, excluding contingency. The Project will be funded through a combination of SB 821 grant funds, Measure A, Measure J, and Capital funds, which have already been allocated for this purpose.
REVIEWED BY:
City Engineer Joel Montalvo
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Project Plans for Bidding