Wind blown dust, referred to as "fugitive dust", is a serious source of fine particulate matter in the Coachella Valley. Wind blown sand is deposited on road surfaces and ground into extremely fine particles by automobile tires. This fine particulate in then reentrained into the atmosphere by passing vehicles. The suspended particles encroach on residential areas in the Coachella Valley, where it is breathed by residents. The very fine particulate remains deep in the lung tissue; prolonged exposure can result in accutre respiratory ailments.
369079.00
The City of Palm Desert implemented the following in the fulfillment of this project: On Cook Street, north of Frank Sinatra Drive, the City installed 700 lineal feet of wind fence and applied soil stabilizer on the loose sand near the roadway; South of Gerald Ford Drive between Monterey Avenue and Portola Avenue, the City installed 5,322 lineal feet of wind fencing and applied soil-stabilizing polymer on each side of the fencing; On Portola Avenue, south of Frank Sinatra Drive, the City installed decomposed granite between the curb and the existing sidewalk. In addition, palm mulch was spread from the back of the sidewalk to a distance fifty feet from the curb face. The remainder of the parcel received an application of soil stabilizer; West of Portola Avenue on Frank Sinatra Drive, two existing raised median islands filled with loose blow sand were reconstructed. The median islands were irrigated, planted, and stabilized with decomposed granite.
The objective of the Palm Desert Wind Fencing and Soil Stabilization Project was to reduce the amount of fugitive dust that blows across the unimproved properties in the north section of the City of Palm Desert. Several locations were identified where steps could be taken to reduce the amount of fugitive dust through the use of wind fencing and/or soil stabilization.
The project resulted in the stabilization of over 1 million square feet of loose sand and the installation of approximately 6,000 lineal feet of wind fencing.
This project was fully implemented as of January 12, 2006.