Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Whittier council approves engineering, park and sidewalk contracts and $1.8 million roadway appropriation
Summary
The Whittier City Council on Jan. 27 approved multiple professional‑services and construction contracts — including an engineering agreement for the Beverly/Norwalk realignment with a $1.8 million budget appropriation — and authorized park and sidewalk projects totaling several hundred thousand dollars.
The Whittier City Council approved a package of contracts and budget amendments on Jan. 27 that advance park renovations, sidewalk repairs and a roadway realignment project.
The most significant budget action authorizes supplemental appropriations and revenue of $1.8 million for the Beverly Boulevard at Norwalk Boulevard Realignment Project and approves a professional‑services agreement with Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc. for engineering services not to exceed $300,000. Director of Public Works Kyle Cason answered council questions about project scope and traffic‑signal synchronization before the measure passed with a 3‑0‑2 vote; Council Members Warner and Dutra were absent for the vote.
Council also approved refinements and a design agreement for First Avenue Park, authorizing a professional‑services agreement with SWA Group for up to $378,421 for design refinement, construction documents and consultation. The council approved a professional‑services agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Greenway Trail landscape visibility improvements not to exceed $330,000 and adopted the related budget amendment. For sidewalk repairs, the council awarded a construction contract to CJ Concrete Construction Inc. for $488,016, approved a $48,802 contingency, rejected remaining bids and amended the fiscal year budget by $536,818 for the Sidewalk Maintenance Program (Phase II District I).
The council approved an administrative agreement with the Whittier Uptown Association for calendar year 2026 and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreement; Mayor Joseph A. Vinatieri recused himself from that item because of a business interest in Uptown Whittier and temporarily left the chamber before the vote. The Uptown agreement passed 3‑0‑2.
Why it matters: the package moves forward several capital and maintenance projects that will affect transportation, pedestrian safety and public‑realm improvements across Whittier. The Beverly/Norwalk appropriation funds preliminary engineering work and does not, by itself, authorize construction.
The council’s actions were taken as individual motions for each item and recorded in the minutes. Several staff members — including City Manager Conal McNamara and Directors Kyle Cason and Virginia Santana — answered detailed questions about scope, funding sources, and bid processes during deliberations.
Next steps: the Kimley Horn agreement covers engineering design work; additional council approvals will be required before construction phases move forward. Contract execution and project‑level schedules will be managed by the City Manager’s office and Public Works.
