The City of Santa Clarita has been recognized by the American Public Works Association (APWA) with five Public Works awards in 2018.

The city received the “Outstanding Public Works Project of the Year” award from the APWA High Desert Branch for the Old Town Newhall parking structure, as well as the “Best Environmental Project” award for the completion of the Heritage Trail from Gateway Ranch to Wildwood Canyon.

The City of Santa Clarita adopted the Old Town Newhall Specific Plan with the plan of turning Newhall’s historic core into an arts and entertainment district.

To support the parking demand, a seven-level, 152,000-square-foot parking structure with 372 stalls was built.

The Old Town Newhall parking structure also incorporates a rooftop space for community events.

The City of Santa Clarita partnered with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and William S. Hart School District to construct the Heritage Trail from the City’s Wildwood Canyon Open Space to Gateway Ranch Open Space.

The design team consisted of a group of 12 senior volunteer trails crew, averaging 70 years old, and 32 high school students from the local William S. Hart School District, along with a school teacher.

The city also received awards from the APWA Southern California Chapter for enhancing pedestrian safety and traffic flow through the use of electronic blank-out signs.

Santa Clarita is utilizing electronic blank-out signs at major crosswalks, railroad crossings and intersections to improve traffic flow and improve pedestrian safety.

Electronic blank-out signs turn on to alert motorists of pedestrians entering crosswalks and trains approaching railroad crossings.

Intersections with these signs have seen a 10 percent increase in traffic with pedestrians in the crosswalk and decreased vehicle queues, according to the City of Santa Clarita.

The Newhall Ranch Road Bridge placed over San Francisquito Creek is a project that is providing an additional travel lane in each direction, as well as a raised median, barrier-protected sidewalks, a bike trail and a trail connection underneath the bridge.

The result is increased safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists through this stretch of Newhall Ranch Road, according to officials.

This information was provided to KHTS by the city of Santa Clarita.

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