Palmdale’s downtown revitalization projects moving forward

PALMDALE – Palmdale city leaders gathered on Wednesday, Sept. 14,  to showcase four downtown projects set to revitalize the civic center area by providing street improvements, pedestrian & bicyclist improvements, and a full renovation of Melville J. Courson Park.

The four projects showcased included:

Avenue R Complete Streets

This $20-million-dollar project will provide for street improvements along Avenue R, between Sierra Highway and 25th Street East. The proposed improvements include the widening of Avenue R from its current four-lane configuration to five lanes, with two travel lanes in each direction with a center two-way left turn lane; closing existing sidewalk gaps; CIass ll bike lanes in both directions; ADA enhanced crosswalks, curb ramps, and bus turnouts; and modification of the traffic signal at the intersection of Avenue R-4 and 11th St. East to accommodate the roadway improvements. This project is funded through $7.65 million in Caltrans Active Transportation Grant funds, and $5 million in Surface Transportation Local Program funds, with the remaining funding from Gas Tax, Measure M & Article 8.

Civic Center Complete Streets

This project provides for complete street improvements along 9th Street East and 10th Street East, from Avenue Q-9 to Avenue Q-12. The proposed improvements include crosswalk enhancements, bulb-out crossings, new Class II bike lanes, traffic calming roundabouts, sidewalk gap closures, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and upgraded traffic control devices in downtown Palmdale within the area bound by 9th Street East to the west, Avenue Q-9 to the north, 10th Street East to the east, and Avenue Q-12 to the south. This $7.6 million project is funded through $1.4 million in Caltrans Active Transportation State Grant funds, as well as Gas Tax, Measure R, and Measure M funding.

Avenue Q-12 Sidewalk Gap Closure

This project will provide street and parkway improvements along a segment of Avenue Q-12 from 10th Street East to 12th Street East, the west side of 12th Street East and the east side of 11th Street East from Avenue Q-12 to Avenue R. These improvements will eliminate sidewalk gaps, providing a safe pedestrian path of travel for multiple multi-family developments leading to Tumbleweed Elementary School and Melville J. Courson Park. This $1.6 million project is funded through $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant Funds with remaining funds from Prop C.

Melville J. Courson Park Revitalization

This $4.15 million project will bring a complete renovation of the existing park and is funded entirely through a grant awarded from the State of California Office of Grants and Local Services Community, Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. The complete renovation of the existing park will essentially strip the existing 5-acre park of its aging amenities and re-construct it with entirely new recreation features that were selected and designed by the surrounding community through an extensive community-based planning process. New recreation features to be added include a raised bandstand stage, challenge course, fitness zone with equipment, four stationary exercise stations along the pathways, concrete and decomposed granite walkways throughout the park, a group picnic shade pavilion, and additional park furnishings.

Once completed, the park will bring new public art opportunities throughout the park such as a mural on the north back wall of the park and within the plaza, new play equipment for ages 5 – 12 years, a prefabricated restroom building, upgraded irrigation and drought-tolerant landscaping throughout the park, and increased security lighting through the park and plaza space. ADA accessibility also will be updated.

For more project information, contact Palmdale’s Public Works Department at 661-267-5300.

[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]

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