The Coachella Valley Public Cemetery District in Coachella has secured $1 million in federal funds to repair decades-old roadways serving the cemetery grounds and the surrounding Veterans Memorial, making the area safer and more accessible, district officials announced Monday.
“This road repair effort is about more than infrastructure; it is about the experience families have when they come to honor their loved ones,” General Manager Joshua Bonner said in a statement.
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Indio, requested financial aid through the Community Project Funding and was included in the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.
The funds will cover roughly 70% of costs to fix nearly one-mile of roadway that has degraded as a result of age, time and weather. The project is expected to cost $1.4 million in total.
“I’m proud to bring these resources home, and I’ll keep fighting for investments that make life more affordable for working people,” Ruiz said.
The cemetery district serves families and veterans’ families throughout the Coachella Valley, including in Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Coachella, to honor their loved ones and to fallen military service members.
“The Board of Trustees appreciates Congressman Raul Ruiz’s support in securing federal investment,” CVPCD Board Chair Ernesto Rosales said in a statement. “These federal resources reflect a sustained effort by CVPCD to address long-standing infrastructure needs in a responsible way. These resources allow us to make critical improvements while helping keep costs down for the families we serve.”
Although funding was appropriated by Congress, CVPCD officials will have to work with federal partners throughout the year to finalize an agreement and begin planning for the road project, district officials said.
Officials said they anticipate work to start in late 2026 or early 2027 pending finalizing of a construction timeline.