Burbank’s three-mile stretch, which would cost $8.24 million, would pick up where the Los Angeles path ends, providing an extension south along the right-of-way owned by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It would then shoot down a portion of the Burbank Western Channel to the Downtown Metrolink Station, Principal Planner David Kriske said.
“These Class I paths are the backbone of the system, with the broadest type of rider using them,” he said.
The proposed project resulted from a Metro application in which the agency agreed to fund 80% of the cost through a federal grant, Kriske said.
As cities look to cut down emissions and explore alternative modes of transportation, San Fernando plays an integral role in the city’s Bicycle Master Plan, officials said.
Among the plan’s goals is to maintain an active community while decreasing transportation demands on roadways. The master plan will make its way through several boards and commissions before reaching the City Council in early December.
Cyclists for years have called for additional paths linking various parts of the city.
Burbank has about 22 miles of designated bikeways split among 18 routes. Two bikeways link Burbank’s bikeway network with neighboring Glendale. “The ultimate goal is to connect the San Fernando Bikeway with other bikeways in the city to crisscross and interconnect,” Vice Mayor Anja Reinke said. “Obviously, it’s difficult to convert commuters, but in order to get people to use public transportation or other forms, it needs to first be set up.”
While the city does not keep statistics on the number of cyclists, anecdotal evidence along with a spike in bicycle-related traffic accidents in 2008 has led transportation officials to declare an uptick in ridership, Kriske said.
Councilman Dave Golonski said that while Chandler is a multiuse pathway, a key focus of the San Fernando path is its connection to downtown Burbank and downtown Los Angeles through Metrolink.
With an estimated completion date five years away, the city last week agreed to spend $951,130 for preliminary project design and engineering. More review will still be needed before executives move forward with final engineering and construction.
Community Development Department executives plan to hire a consultant before the final design is completed in 2011, but the timeline may be altered by the Interstate 5-Empire Interchange project, which must be designed and under construction before the San Fernando Bikeway moves forward, Kriske said.
CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO covers City Hall and the courts. He may be reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at christopher.cadelago@ latimes.com.
