Wrong Way: CV Link Confusion
Karen Devine
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Just weeks before the official grand opening of the 40-mile CV Link, some users say confusing or incorrect directional signs along the path could send walkers and cyclists the wrong way or even into danger.
Residents reached out to KESQ after spotting signs that didn’t seem to make sense. I-Team investigator Karen Devine went to check it out.
During a two-mile walk along the CV Link in La Quinta, Devine found several signs that appear to point in the wrong direction.
At the intersection of Adams Street, a sign lists Dune Palms Road and Indio to the east, but also includes Point Happy, which is actually about a mile back in the opposite direction.
Devine reported the issue through La Quinta City Hall’s website, which said it would be forwarded to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), the agency overseeing the project.
Frequent CV Link user Greg Snider says he’s been puzzled by the signs for months.
“We walk on it almost nightly,” Snider told the I-Team. “Obviously, Dune Palms Road is not that way. Indio is not that way, it’s behind us.”
Snider, who walks the trail with his family, says it took him about six months to figure out what the signs are trying to say.
“What I finally realized is, they don’t want you to go over Adams Street, they want you to go underneath,” he explained. “So, if you’re heading to Point Happy, go straight. But if you’re going to Indio, take a right and go under the road.”
When Devine checked the official CVAG CV Link map, there was no legend or explanation for how the directional signs are meant to be read.
Devine emailed CVAG for clarification. A spokesperson responded:
“CV Link remains under construction… CVAG has not formally accepted the project from the contractor. If there’s a wrong sign, our team will be having the contractor fix it before we deem the project finished.”
Who approved the signs?
The contractor confirmed they installed the signs but did not create the text or directional verbiage.
The design firm, Alta Design, did not approve the wording either.
La Quinta’s mayor told Devine the city was not involved in the signage decisions.
All roads and signs ultimately point back to CVAG, which is overseeing the multi-city project.
“No, it shouldn’t be this confusing,” Snider said.
Until the signage issues are corrected, trail users may want to rely on the colored paint and lights that mark the CV Link path:
• Blue indicates the eastbound direction• Orange marks the westbound path• After dark, solar-powered lights in matching colors guide the way
Several residents have also raised concerns about lighting gaps, unsafe crossings, and limited guard rails in certain wash areas.
CVAG says a final “punch list” of fixes is still being completed before the CV Link’s official opening.
Devine will continue tracking updates and asking questions to ensure the path connecting seven Coachella Valley cities is safe and clearly marked.
Have you noticed confusing or missing signs on the CV Link?Send photos or tips Share@KESQ.com