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Bell Gardens updates residents on Complete Streets ATP projects amid safety and access concerns
Summary
Public Works presented the ATP Cycle 5 Complete Streets improvements, describing median islands, bulb-outs, HAWK signals and traffic-calming measures funded by ATP grants; council and residents asked about emergency access, bus/trolley operations, parking loss and implementation timing.
The Bell Gardens City Council received an update March 23 on Complete Streets improvements funded by ATP Cycle 5 and plans for ATP Cycle 6.
Public Works Director Bernie Iniguez and City Engineer Doug Manouch outlined design elements funded by the grants, noting safety data that identified collision "hot spots" and the need for traffic-calming measures. Manouch described features such as median islands, raised refuge areas, curb extensions, high-visibility crosswalks and a HAWK pedestrian signal at Gage and Ajax. "Phase one is currently under construction with anticipated completion spring of this year," Manouch said, and staff noted the city must comply with grant conditions and document before-and-after studies.
Engineers emphasized they preserved minimum travel-lane widths and conducted turning-movement analyses and a video demonstration with a city boom truck to verify access for large vehicles. "We've maintained that 12-ft through the intersection... the turning movement analysis... the boom truck... we are very confident that a fire truck can make the turn," Manouch said in response to resident concerns.
Despite technical checks, several residents and councilmembers raised concerns about right turns, parked vehicles near the new medians, impacts on school buses and trolley operations, and incidents of stop signs damaged by collisions. Councilmembers asked how quickly red-curb (15-foot daylighting) painting and additional striping would be completed; staff said curb painting should be finished by the end of the week and that the city had ordered additional replacement signs for damaged hardware.
Council members also discussed the project timetable and outreach and requested that first responders be provided the final designs to allow operational review. Staff committed to a six-month after-construction traffic study for phase one and said ATP Cycle 6 plans (phase two) are under review and could begin construction late summer or early fall of 2026 if approved by Caltrans/CTC.
The council received and filed the report and directed staff to continue community outreach, coordinate with emergency services and report back with the six-month traffic study results once data are available.
