News from CVAG:
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments is working to complete the environmental review of CV Link, a multi-modal pathway that will run through the entire Coachella Valley.
CVAG is dedicated to getting information out about this exciting project, which will be accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicles. As part of our efforts, we have been issuing special bulletins to address some of the most frequently asked questions.
Why is CVAG permitting golf carts on CV Link?
CV Link is aiming to provide a safe pathway for as many alternative forms of transportation as possible. The inclusion of golf carts tailors the pathway to local demographics, as golf carts are a popular mode of travel for residents and visitors across the Coachella Valley.
Cities across the Coachella Valley have embraced golf carts as a form of travel, including golf cart paths on roadways and having specialized parking areas for them at shopping centers. Golf carts provide mobility options to seniors and those who may not be able to operate an automobile. Electric golf carts are zero emission vehicles that are ideal for short distance trips, which generate disproportionate levels of air pollution due to the starting, stopping and restarting of engines. And golf carts are inexpensive when compared to cars, both to operate and to own.
The use of golf carts on CV Link is, in many ways, a continuation of the desert’s love affair with them: The electric golf cart was invented for members of Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage and, soon after, golf cart paths came to be.
How is CV Link being designed with golf carts in mind?
Golf carts are a type of low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV). They will be allowed on the 14-foot concrete path that also accommodates bicycles. Pedestrians will use a separate, softer path that runs adjacent to it.
Golf carts can typically travel up to 15 mph. But people using golf carts and other LSEVs will be able to get to many places in roughly the same time it would take to drive a car because, at many intersections, CV Link users will be able to use bridges or undercrossings to avoid stoplights.
It’s anticipated that the typical golf cart trips on CV Link would include moving between home and a golf course, visiting friends, running errands and accessing all types of services that are along the CV Link route.
How will golf carts access CV Link?
It largely depends on which city you are in. In addition to existing golf cart routes, CVAG has been working with its member cities to develop additional connections to CV Link. A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Transportation Plan was included as part of the CV Link Conceptual Master Plan, which was unanimously received and filed by the CVAG Executive Committee in February. CVAG in June finalized a Regional Active Transportation Plan, which identifies opportunities for the valley to reduce greenhouse gas through smart planning.