The city of Coachella wants to build a central transportation hub. Plans include buses, taxis, and possibly even a rail line. Coachella started working on this project several years ago.
Julia Jacobs, takes a bus from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree about once a month. She's become very familiar with the Palm Springs Amtrak and Greyhound station.
"The phone does not work. You have to wait for the security guard to come and open the bathroom," she said.
Jacobs says the Valley is in desperate need of a rider-friendly transportation center.
Eduardo Garcia, Coachella Mayor, says they have been working on plans to build one for about two years now.
"Creating greater access to transportation, creating walkable communities, maybe expanding high speed rail," Garcia said about what the central hub would do.
Coachella has its completed feasibility studies and they're now looking for potential sites along the existing rail line.
The city has identified many sites of land where they would want to build the transit center, including one on Harrison and 6th near downtown.
The plan is similar to one the city of Indio has been working on. Legal issues between Indio and its developer caused a setback but the city plans to continue with plans.
Coachella says its plan could possibly complement Indio's project and will present its plans on October 28th at noon during a public meeting with the Sunline Transit Agency board, which handles federal funding grants here in the Coachella Valley.
"There's a lot of due diligence that needs to be done," Garcia said.
According to Sunline, Indio will also be there to discuss its plans.
