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Lancaster Capital Improvement Program on track

by The AV Times Staff • January 29, 2014

The city’s Capital Improvement Program has utilized grant funds to complete projects such as the Avenue J Median Project, which allowed for the construction of landscaped medians between Challenger Way and 20th Street East.
The city’s Capital Improvement Program has utilized grant funds to complete projects such as the Avenue J Median Project, which allowed for the construction of landscaped medians between Challenger Way and 20th Street East.

LANCASTER – During a Lancaster city council meeting Tuesday night, city staff members presented a mid-year update regarding the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

During the presentation, staff reported that $12 million in grant dollars will be used to help fund this year’s 30 CIP projects, some which are scheduled to be completed or advertised for construction over the next six months.

“I am very pleased to see our staff continuing to aggressively pursue grants to help make our streets safer for both pedestrians and motorists,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris.

The CIP has utilized grant funds to successfully complete projects such as the Avenue J Median Project, which allowed for the construction of landscaped medians between Challenger Way and 20th Street East. This traffic safety improvement project eliminated significant cross traffic resulting in a safer corridor for the public.

A number of city facilities, including the historic Western Hotel on The BLVD, have been rehabilitated.
A number of city facilities, including the historic Western Hotel on The BLVD, have been rehabilitated.

Grant funding secured through the Proposition 1B State-Local Partnership Program Fund will support the upcoming 25th Street East Realignment Project slated to begin in March. The project will widen the intersections of Avenue J and Lancaster Boulevard to allow for safer crossing movements for pedestrians along 25th Street East.

In addition, Surface Transportation Program Local (STPL) funds have been used to purchase materials to upgrade quite a number of City signals.

The CIP has also allowed for the construction of areas such as Avenue K-15.
The CIP has also allowed for the construction of areas such as Avenue K-15.

Via this funding source: 225 video detection cameras were installed; 600 signal batteries, 900 signal heads with countdown timers, and 3,800 red yellow and green LED light bulbs have been replaced; and 100 pedestrian push button audible devices have been installed.  City staff installed all of the new materials, therefore allowing for a maximum amount of the $1 million funding to be used toward the procurement of new supplies.

The city has also placed a focus on improving access around local schools through the CIP. For instance, the Valley View Pedestrian Improvements Project will begin in June.  This project will provide paved pedestrian access east and west of the school’s boundaries. In addition, the Miller Elementary School Pedestrian Improvements Project is currently underway along Avenue K-4 and 20th Street West.  Pedestrians will have continuous access to the school; and features such as bulb outs will reduce crossing distances once the project is complete.

Additional school-related projects will: add sidewalk and curb ramps; install LED equipped stop signs; refurbish striping and marking; and create bike lane improvements.

“We as a Council are pleased to see a furthering of our relationships with the school districts,” said Lancaster Vice Mayor Marvin Crist. “These improvements not only improve the infrastructure and aesthetics of our city, but also provide for increased safety and accessibility for our community’s children, parents and educators.”

The CIP also contains many projects which will provide further sustainability for the city, such as the Pavement Preservation Program.  During the summer of 2013, under the Pavement Preservation Program, 29 lane miles were resurfaced by City staff, saving the City 60% of what the same services would have cost if contracted out.

In 2014, the city plans to resurface 85 lane miles of local roads. In addition, the Recycled Water Conversion Project at Lancaster City Park will help alleviate the City’s dependence on potable water for irrigation purposes. This project should be on line this spring.

Thanks to the Capital Improvement Program, a number of city facilities, including the historic Western Hotel on Lancaster Boulevard, have been rehabilitated. This year, the Cedar Center is also being refurbished through the CIP. Once the facility is complete in late spring, it will host theater, museum, and art classes for the community.

The CIP has also allowed for the construction of areas such as Avenue K-15, as well as Morton Way, which serves as the home of the new Morton Manufacturing plant.

(Information via press release from the city of Lancaster.)

–

Filed Under: Lancaster

8 comments

8 comments for "Lancaster Capital Improvement Program on track"

  1. Joe Batwinis says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:21 pm

    If there is going to be a repaving effort, I seriously hope the city takes the time to add wide bike lanes to the city streets. Lancaster is a dangerous place to be a cyclist. Even the bike lanes that exist now are often narrow and full of debris.

    Even better would be some dedicated bike paths.

  2. TheTruth says

    February 1, 2014 at 8:17 am

    Rex Parris needs to quit dumping all the money into Lancaster Blvd. And quit sueing all the businesses that are in Lancaster (Starwood,Costco,etc etc) no wonder everyone is leaving…quit being a Parasite..Parris. Palmdale sure does appreciate all the businesses moving from Lancaster to Palmdale. Parris is about himself, not about the people or city IMHO.

    • William says

      February 1, 2014 at 9:15 am

      I wonder how much sales tax revenue the BLVD takes in for Lancaster compared to one of the larger, successful shopping centers? Or, is the BLVD actually a ‘loss leader’ for the city?

      Rex says they ‘created’ 50 new businesses on the BLVD but many of those little ‘mom and pop’ places employ maybe a few people and aren’t open 7 days a week or have limited hours. Some places have only 1 or 2 employees on duty at a time.

      That is pretty pathetic for a city of over 150,000 people in a valley of half a million.

      They should take bets on which will be the next business to close.

      On Avenue Q-6 in Palmdale, there are 3 little restaurants side-by-side that are still open and doing fine. It’s an old part of town and not fancy at all. But, Barone’s, a long-established restaurant in Lancaster couldn’t make it with their second place on the BLVD. Why is that?

      In fact, there are a lot of little hole-in-the-wall restaurants all over the valley that have been here for years but the BLVD sure isn’t a key to having a successful business. I feel sorry for business owners who bought Rex’s BS and invested in a place that just doesn’t have the traffic to support it and is in an inconvenient location to begin with.

      Oh, well. As long as Rex made a billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) in settlements, that’s all that matters. Did you get your share? Anyone? Buehler?

  3. Oscar mejia says

    January 31, 2014 at 11:57 am

    If news about street repairs(part of maintaining a city) makes the news, we are not taking care of our residents. The balanced approach is what we need.

    Oscar mejia
    Lancaster city council candidate

  4. william Nichter says

    January 31, 2014 at 6:46 am

    When can we expect Avenue K to be torn up again seems that’s all you do. would be nice to ride on some smooth asphalt instead of the condition the road is in. since I bought my home in 1980 I know you have torn it up at least five times.

  5. Jason says

    January 29, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    I wonder how long these “preserved” roads will last when all thats been done is theyve been chipped sealed?

    And these bulb outs? How long before the city restripes K-8 for the one they put in there? Isnt 6+ weeks of having cones up long enough to stripe the road for drivers losing a lane?

  6. QHR says

    January 29, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    I hope the city will take into consideration safety concerns for students at QHHS that live West of the school. There is no sidewalk on Ave L heading West of QHHS (65th West towards 70th West).

    • TimeWillTell says

      January 29, 2014 at 4:22 pm

      Those sidewalks will go in when the new shopping centers are built as part of the fees for building them. That is the usual procedure when a large project is pending.

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