This morning we broke ground on the $14 million Soto Bridge Removal project, which will replace the aging, dangerous bridge with two new fully-signalized intersections and much-needed green space. Originally built in 1936 to carry Pacific Electric Railway’s Short Line to Pasadena, the bridge provided grade separation between vehicular traffic and the trains. The city removed the rails in 1960 to allow for the increasing demands of vehicle traffic. But as time has gone by, cars have only gotten faster and our population has only gotten bigger. These two things do not mix well with sharp curves and poor visibility for a bridge that wasnt designed for cars. Along with the poor maze of entrance/exit points under the bridge, it has been the site of accidents and many near miss accidents through the years. I drive this route a lot, so I know firsthand how dangerous in can be. Ive heard from the community time and time again about the dangers of this bridge. I am very proud to break ground today on this project. Along with our work on the Valley Blvd. Bridge, which eliminated long waits along the rail line and all that comes with it - pollution, fire/police safety issues - we are now improving another major entry point into the El Sereno community. And while were at it, we are also taking this opportunity to create some green public space in the area. I look forward to working with the El Sereno community, Bureau of Engineering, and Northeast Trees to develop the landscape and public art component that reflects the desires and values of the community. We already had one workshop where community folks voiced their opinions about potential walking paths, plant materials, and ways to pay tribute to the historic character of the neighborhood including honoring the sites history as a former rail line. Over the next few months, we’ll be having more community meetings where we’ll work together to develop a final plan. I’d like to thank everyone who came out today to celebrate this great occasion. In a few years, we’ll be back here celebrating the opening of two new intersections and the addition of some great public space to the area - and a public improvement project the community can take great pride in.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:47:50 +0000