Why isn't the rideshare pickup area shaded at Palm Springs International Airport?
Q: Why is there no shade provided for passenger pick up at the rideshare pick up point at the airport? It gets very hot waiting for a ride or when it rains.
— Tedd Kelly
A: Daniel Meier, deputy director of aviation, marketing & air service at Palm Springs International Airport, said this is something the airport is working on.
"We've wanted to install shade structures at the taxi and transportation network company waiting areas for some time," he said. "However, because of the historic landmark status of the terminal, there are regulations we must take into account, such as preservation of the facade and the view of the terminal."
He said the airport plans to start exploring options soon to learn what can be installed in the future.
"For now, during moments of inclement weather or high temperatures, passengers may wait in the baggage claim across the roadway from the taxi stand, or in the ticket lobby — directly across from the TNC waiting area — for their Uber or Lyft," he added.
— Niki Kottmann, features editor
North of Dillon Road on Little Morongo Road and 16th Avenue are a collection of tall, windowless, rectangular and square buildings. Do you know what those buildings are for? There’s no signage.
— Martin Bonafede
Those buildings are the location of a cannabis business park, said Desert Hot Springs Deputy City Manager Doria Wilms. She said there are several different businesses present within the park, offering services such as cultivating, manufacturing and distributing.
However, there are no retail cannabis stores in the lot, Wilms added.
– Ani Gasparyan, local government reporter
What is the plan for the huge drainage culverts being installed by Vons on Highway 111? Will it connect to Araby Wash? Does it flow uphill from Vons? Will it go in front of BMW and the other dealers?
— Robby
This is a storm drain improvement project for flood control led by Riverside County Flood Control through a cooperative agreement with Palm Springs.
The agreement was approved by the Palm Springs City Council in January 2021, City Engineer Joel Montalvo said.
Project completion is expected around the summer of 2023, engineering project manager Simon Tse said.
The project includes the installation of 4,900 lineal feet of underground storm drainpipes.
The improvements to what is referred to as “Line 41” will provide flood control protection for portions of the city and will remove some communities out of the FEMA flood plain, eliminating the need for flood insurance, then-City Manager David Ready told council members in a Jan. 14, 2021 staff report to the council that outlined the project.
As part of the improvements, portions of Matthew Drive and Cherokee Way will also be repaved. The agreement between the city and county for this project also set aside undevelopable land for the federally endangered Casey’s June beetle habitat conservation.
— Sherry Barkas
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This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Why isn't the rideshare pickup shaded at the Palm Springs airport?
