Barger chatting with cyclists (Photo – lacounty.gov)
Traffic safety signals, sustainable landscaping, and new bike lanes are key features of transformation.
By News Desk
Mid-morning gray skies were brightened by a vibrant ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the transformation of a stretch of road into a red-carpet, multi-modal experience.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, along with Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, Arcadia’s Mayor Paul Cheng, Mayor Pro Tem April Verlato, Councilmember Eileen Wang, community members, and cycling enthusiasts from Active SGV and Monrovia’s Ride On Cycling, all gathered at Michillinda Park to inaugurate the Huntington Drive Median and Roadway Reconstruction Project.
The project is located in the unincorporated area lying between the cities of San Marino and Arcadia, between San Gabriel Boulevard and Michillinda Park. Construction was started in February 2022. Improvements were designed after soliciting community input, resulting in a resurfaced roadway, installation of buffered bike lanes, and a new traffic signal system. New sustainable, drought tolerant landscaping for the center median will capture stormwater, treat it, and help provide sustainable water supply for the native plant palette.
According to Los Angeles County’s Public Works, this stretch of Huntington Drive accommodates a staggering 15,000 vehicles daily – with more than 1,000 vehicles during peak hours.
Cycling on Huntington Drive (Photo – lacounty.gov)
Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who arrived at the event on her own bicycle, shared her enthusiasm. “The completion of this project brings a wave of improvements to the surrounding neighborhoods,” she said. “Traffic will flow smoother, cyclists will have dedicated space to ride, and pedestrians will navigate their neighborhood streets with additional buffers. These improvements are also aligned with the County’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which aims to reduce and eliminate traffic fatalities on our roadways.” Supervisor Barger commended the Department of Public Works “for finishing the project on time and on budget.”
Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella described the project’s larger impact. “This $8.9 million investment is bolstering street safety with a state-of-the-art traffic signal at the intersection of Muscatel Ave and Huntington Drive. We are also addressing climate resiliency. We revamped the Huntington Drive median by removing 2.5 acres of turf and replacing it with drought-tolerant landscaping, including 29 new trees, 3,800 native plants, and a new waste-wise drip irrigation system. This state-of-the-art infrastructure will persist for decades to come.”
After a ribbon cutting, the spirit of the cycling community shone brightly as cyclists, led by Active SGV, made their way down the newly resurfaced streets. Some community members joined the bicycle ride by using e-bikes rentals available by Active SGV’s “Go SGV” electric bike share program.
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