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-Editorial
The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and the Heber Public Utility District (HPUD) are partnering on a proposal to transform a heavily traveled right-of-way in Heber into a dedicated walking path. The project is designed to improve safety for students who walk to school along Dogwood Road — one of the community’s most used pedestrian areas — while enhancing the overall appearance and accessibility of the neighborhood.
The project is part of IID’s CONNECT Initiative, which explores opportunities to repurpose existing utility corridors into multi-use walking paths in Imperial Valley communities. The Heber concept would serve as the initiative’s first pilot project and reflects a coordinated effort by both districts to deliver community-level improvements where they are needed most.
“This partnership shows what IID can accomplish with local communities — making Heber safer, more active, and greener. These are the kinds of investments that lift up quality of life for the entire community,” said IID Vice Chairman JB Hamby, who represents Heber on the IID Board of Directors.
The proposed path would feature ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible walkways, solar lighting, wayfinding signage, and community-oriented landscaping to create a safer and more welcoming environment for local families. These improvements are intended to create a safe route to school along the busy Dogwood Road corridor and support active and sustainable transportation.
“This planning effort shows how far collaborative leadership can go. IID has worked together with the Heber Public Utility District, Citizens Energy Corporation, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission in a way that can serve as a blueprint for future community investments across the region,” said Sabrina Barber, Distribution Services and Maintenance Operations Manager at IID.
HPUD leaders emphasized the importance of responding to long-standing community requests for safer and more attractive public spaces. “Heber will benefit greatly from these improvements, providing a safer and more beautiful community. We are excited to bring real improvements through this partnership with the Imperial Irrigation District,” said Madeline Dessert Martinez, General Manager of the Heber Public Utility District.
The effort is supported in part by a federal Economic & Infrastructure Development grant from the Southwest Border Regional Commission. Funding would support project design, planning, community outreach, and preliminary engineering over a 36-month period. Additional in-kind support from IID, HPUD, and Citizens Energy Corporation would help advance the project.
If materialized, the walking path could become a model for similar safe-route improvements elsewhere in IID’s service area.
