| Whittier
has compeleted initial construction on the Greenway Trail, a five-mile
bicycle/pedestrian trail which replaces an abandoned railroad
right-of-way. The official dedication of the trail was held Saturday,
January 31, 2009 at Palm Park.
The
Greenway Trail begins in the northwest corner of Whittier, near
the 605 Freeway, and closely parallels Whittier Boulevard. When
it reaches Painter Avenue, it travels along Lambert Road to Mills
Avenue, which is where the abandoned right-of-way ends. There
is an active rail line traveling east from Mills to the City limits,
and Whittier hopes to eventually acquire an easement along this
line to take the trail to the City limits and link the Greenway
to Orange County.
Community
participation is a very important part of the Greenway Trail development.
A community meeting was held in May 2002 to acquaint residents
with the project and receive their input. A trail design team
was selected by City Council in December 2002 and worked with
a Task Force to develop conceptual and preliminary designs. A
community-wide public meeting about the project was held in February
2003 at the Whittier Senior Center.
Actual
construction of the Greenway Trail began in fall 2006, and initial
construction of the trail was completed in October 2008.
The
Greenway Trail is included in the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority's (LACMTA) "Southeast Area Bicycle
Master Plan." The trail passes through residential, commercial,
industrial and institutional land uses in Whittier, connecting
these various elements of the community and allowing residents
and visitors to hike or bike through town.
Special
benefits of the Greenway Trail to the City include alleviating
traffic congestion, improving air quality and providing a scenic
greenbelt area through the center of Whittier. The trail also
provides increased safety for those who prefer to bike or walk
to their destinations. The Greenway connects with the local and
regional bus systems, including Whittier Transit (operated by
Norwalk Transit), MTA, Foothill Transit, Montebello Bus Lines
and Norwalk Transit.
The
cost to purchase the abandoned Union Pacific right-of-way was
$3.2 million, and the City closed escrow in December 2001. Construction
costs of the trail were approximately $8 million. All acquisition
and development funds come from state and federal sources. The
bulk of the money for the project has come from Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Caltrans grants. Also,
the State has contributed more than $2.3 million, primarily through
bond funds.
Please
direct questions and/or comments about this project to:
Jim
Kurkowski, Director of Parks at (562)464-3375 e-mail: jkurkowski@cityofwhittier.org |
