Several Santa Clarita pedestrian improvement projects are expected to be completed in 2015, according to city officials.

“Some of the anticipated pedestrian improvement projects include refurbishing paseo bridges, constructing sidewalk access ramps, modifying encroaching median noses and more,” according to city officials.

The city of Santa Clarita’s Capital Improvement Projects Division deals with construction projects that add to the city’s infrastructure, according to a news release. Several CIP projects are currently underway in Santa Clarita to help create safe and convenient pedestrian walkways, while maintaining efficient traffic flow.

Projects under construction and planned for 2015 include:

• Sidewalk Access Ramps – Currently under construction, this project is adding American with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant access ramps at locations throughout the city.
• Sidewalk Gap Closures – This effort is currently underway to construct new sidewalks where gaps exist along major roadways that see frequent pedestrian usage, including the north side of Soledad Canyon Road between Langside Drive, the bridge over the Santa Clara River at Camp Plenty Road, and south of Soledad Canyon Road between River Circle Drive and Miss Grace Drive.
• Newhall Avenue at Lyons, 8th & 9th Pedestrian Improvements – Construction is scheduled to be begin in February for this project which will create bulb-outs with pedestrian crossings at Newhall Avenue and 8th  Street (east) and Newhall Avenue and 9th Street. Existing curbs will be modified and extended with pedestrian crossing at Newhall Avenue and Lyons Avenue.
• Crosswalk Improvements – Scheduled for spring construction, this federally-funded project will modify median noses that encroach into pedestrian crosswalks at six signalized intersections throughout the city. The modifications will improve pedestrian passage on the roadway.
• Golden Valley Road Bridge Widening – Currently out for bid, this effort will widen the existing Golden Valley Road bridge from two lanes to four lanes, and add left turn lanes on the State Route 14 in both the north and south directions. A sidewalk on the north side of the bridge and a protected shared sidewalk and bike path on the south side of the bridge will also be constructed for easy pedestrian crossing.
• John Russel Drive Paseo Bridge Replacement – The project is part of the city’s Paseo Bridge Replacement Program, which replaces pedestrian bridges that have reached the end of their useful life. Currently out for bid, this specific project will replace the existing wooden pedestrian bridge crossing at John Russell Drive with a steel truss bridge.

• Sierra/Golden Valley Pedestrian Bridge & Roadway Improvements – Now in design, this effort will construct a pedestrian overcrossing at Sierra Highway, a right-hand turn pocket from southbound Sierra Highway to westbound Golden Valley Road, a median extension and landscaping.
• Newhall Avenue and Railroad Avenue Bulb-Out – Currently in design, this project will construct a pedestrian bulb-out at the intersection of Newhall Avenue and Railroad Avenue to improve pedestrian safety. The project will also modify the signal to accommodate the new street improvements.
• Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Widening – Currently in design, this project will widen the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek to eight lanes and add multi-use walkways on both the north and south sides of the bridge.
• Citywide Way-Finding Signage Program for Pedestrians & Cyclists – This federally-funded project will design and install wayfinding signs to direct pedestrians and cyclists to the Metrolink stations and other regional trip-generators through the city’s existing network of multi-use paths, street bikeways and paseos. Signage will provide information on destination, direction and distance. 

For more information about pedestrian safety projects currently underway in the Santa Clarita, please contact the city’s Capital Improvement Projects Division at (661) 255-4948.

Photo courtesy of Santa Clarita City Briefs.