The Antelope Valley Times

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Lancaster awarded grants for street improvements

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Grant graphicLANCASTER – The city of Lancaster has been awarded two Cycle 6 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grants totaling more than $2.5 million.  The funds will allow for street improvements along Avenue I, between Challenger Way and 35th Street East, making streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists travelling along the route.  The project is expected to be completed by 2017.

“These improvements along Avenue I will encourage people to ride their bicycles and walk much more often,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Our City staff is extremely proactive when it comes to securing funds to support the City Council’s goals of promoting an active, healthy community.”

The City submitted two applications of which both were approved. The grant funds will cover 90% of project costs, with the remaining balance being covered by the City’s ongoing Capital Improvement Program.  The HSIP improvements will include upgrades to sidewalks, pedestrian refuge islands, bicycle lanes, flashing beacons, upgraded signals, curb ramps, curb extensions, and crosswalks.

These projects will add to the list of improvement projects already underway along the Avenue I corridor.

For instance the City was awarded a State-Funded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant to help improve the Avenue I and 30th Street East intersection.  Also planned is a traffic signal at Avenue I and 25th Street East to make street crossing safer for pedestrians.

Recently Avenue I, from 20th to 30th Street East, was resurfaced through the City’s ongoing Pavement Preservation Program allowing for a smoother ride for motorists.

(Information via press release from the city of Lancaster.) 

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Filed Under: Lancaster

12 comments for "Lancaster awarded grants for street improvements"

  1. First and foremost to the bonehead who said” no one lives out that far on Ave I”. WRONG ! I do and that road is a nightmare with all the failed attempts they make at filling potholes. Ave I from 70 th to 90th are in need of a REAL repair.

  2. The hospital is going in on Ave I & 5th East and more traffic will be traveling on I and the sidewalks and bikelanes will be a blessing.

    Hope more improvements are done along Ave J & 20th Street East (regional shopping center district) for East Lancaster Residence. Need bench seats for bus stops and lighting.

  3. How about the roads for the tax paying people who drive cars and trucks? Ave. I around 70 to 80 west is a mess this would be good start.

  4. Bike lanes? Whose bright idea was it to put in bike lanes in a busy commercial area, which no one uses (Valley Central Way, Lancaster Walmart)? Now traffic is a mess. Stick with sidewalks. What the F…. Rex?

    • Totally agree Karl. Turning from W Ave J to Valley Central is a joke! With all the driveways on both side of the street, riding a bike would be suicide and crossing traffic is a terrible problem for cars and pedestrians. No crosswalk from W Ave J to Lancaster Blvd. Valley Central should be one way traffic.

    • Bike Lanes should be added to all roads, Karl, what do you mean no one uses them, that is silly. The traffic is fine, unless you mean you want to drive 60mph on those roads, passing anyone doing the real speed limit.

      Did I read the article above correctly? 2.5 million for 2.5 miles of road way. that is a million dollars a mile, Roads are not very affordable, luckily, it was a grant.

      • Douglas, they need to be added to roads on which people actually ride. The ones around Valley Central werent exactly the smartest place to put them and the way it was designed was idiotic. The should have put the buffer lane between traffic and the bike lane, not the bike lane and the curb. Now you have the few people who do use it forced next to all the traffic that has nowhere to go if something happens.

        • Jason, people do ride them. Look around the sides of the buildings and you will bikes locked up, because many ride to work at all those stores. Most retail jobs do not pay enough, so some workers cannot afford cars. Riding is not for recreation only. You mention all this traffic? What traffic? I drive/ride/walk that area and it never a problem. I walked to Walmart this last Saturday morning, wide open.