City, MTA Agree on the East/West Bikeway Corridor

A letter of agreement between the city of La Cañada Flintridge and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the La Cañada Flintridge east/west bikeway corridor was approved by the city council members at Monday night's city council meeting.

The approval means "that as soon as MTA executes the letter of agreement the city of La Cañada will go on to design and construct the project," said a city official.

The work consists of the design and construction of two miles of a five-foot-wide class 2 bike path along Verdugo Boulevard, Descanso Drive and Berkshire Avenue, and 1.36 miles of class 3 bike route constructed along Berkshire Avenue and Berkshire Place.

According to the city's report, the project includes stripping, pavement stenciling and signage on city streets along the entire route. The bike path is part of the Los Angeles County Regional Bikeway network, which will connect two existing bikeway systems in the cities of Glendale and Pasadena.

Other destinations and activity centers are along the bike route are the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Cañada High School, three private schools, Descanso Gardens, the multiplex theater and Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Following a redesign approved by the City Council, the project was scaled back to ensure that parking spaces would not be lost. The funding for the redesigned project is in the amount of $31,800 and represents 65% of the cost of the project. It requires a 35 % local match in the amount of $17,100, which is included in the city's 2006-2007 budget. The total cost for the redesigned project is $48,900.

The project schedule calls for the city to begin final design and specifications work in March and award the contract no later than November of this year. The project must be completed by April 2008.

— Bianca P. Gallegos