The Coachella Valley Association of Governments has confirmed what we’ve known: traffic is getting worse, especially in the eastern valley. CVAG does these annual traffic studies as part of its oversight of Measure A-funded road construction, releasing its report every year about this time. This one shows the desert’s busiest road stretch is Highway 111 between Westfield Palm Desert and The River at Rancho Mirage. Nearly as busy and the year’s fastest growing is Grapefruit Boulevard south of Dillon Road in Coachella. Drive defensively!
The latest (London) Sunday Times Brit “Rich List” places the Duke of Westminster at No. 3 with an estimated net worth of £7 billion ($14 billion). “Well,” you say, “dukes are supposed to be rich.” Ah, but there’s a local connection. The River at Rancho Mirage is owned by Grosvenor USA Limited, a subsidiary of London-based Grosvenor — itself a dynamic worldwide property-holding firm wholly owned by the 500-year0old Grosvenor family, of which the Duke of Westminster is both titular and actual head. So be very nice to him.
The opinions expressed in the Valley Observer are those of Hank Stokes. He can be reached in care of Palm Springs Life.