{"id":56411,"date":"2014-10-01T16:41:23","date_gmt":"2014-10-01T23:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=56411"},"modified":"2014-10-01T18:11:39","modified_gmt":"2014-10-02T01:11:39","slug":"palmdale-awarded-atp-grants-valued-at-6-mil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2014\/10\/01\/palmdale-awarded-atp-grants-valued-at-6-mil\/","title":{"rendered":"Palmdale awarded ATP grants valued at $6 mil"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The Avenue R project will provide sidewalks and bike lanes on Avenue R from approximately Sierra Highway to 25th Street East.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PALMDALE \u2014 The City of Palmdale was recently awarded two Active Transportation Program (ATP) grants by the California Transportation Commission for the Avenue R Complete Streets & Safe Routes project and the Citywide Active Transportation Plan (CATP).<\/p>\n

The Avenue R project will provide sidewalks and bike lanes on Avenue R from approximately Sierra Highway to 25th Street East and some upgrades in school signage and markings for Tumbleweed School, while the CATP grant will fund a study on\u00a0ways to better integrate bicyclists, pedestrians and other active transportation uses citywide.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The project will also include some upgrades in school signage and markings for Tumbleweed School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Avenue R project will cost $6.67 million, of which $5.33 million is funded by the grants. Environmental work is anticipated to begin in March 2015, with project closeout in mid-2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is great news, especially for our east side residents,\u201d said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. \u201cThe Streets and Safe Route project will eliminate areas along Avenue R where school aged pedestrians currently have to walk in vehicle travel lanes due to lack of sidewalks or shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Avenue R project and the City\u2019s ATP plan, which earned a grant of $595,000, were both brought to the attention of key members of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for the organization\u2019s support \u2013 including its Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata \u2013 by Councilmember Steve Hofbauer who serves as\u00a0 SCAG\u2019s Regional Council District 43 representative for Palmdale and Lancaster,\u00a0 and Palmdale Transportation\/GIS Manager Mike Behen.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncilman Hofbauer and City staff were diligent in pursuing and securing these grants,\u201d Ledford said.\u00a0 \u201cKudos to them as well as our Development Services and Public Works staffs for getting the attention of the state transportation commission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palmdale\u2019s proposed Active Transportation Plan has the following goals:<\/p>\n