All 14 at-grade rail crossings now complete for Foothill Gold Line, from Pasadena to Azusa. The at-grade crossing in Arcadia is at First Avenue and Santa Clara Street.
First Avenue at Santa Clara Street in Arcadia closed September 9, 2013 through February, 2014 for construction of grade crossing improvements, as part of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project in Arcadia. Also, to construct the parking structure and transit plaza adjacent to the crossing, Front Street between Santa Clara Street and Saint Joseph Street, will be permanently closing in September.
Intersection of First Avenue and Santa Clara Street in Arcadia re-opens to through traffic after crews completed at-grade crossing improvements last Friday. Work began at the crossing in early September 2013. Upgrades were made to the utilities, streets, curbs and more to encourage walking, biking, and bus connections.
Between August 11 and September 30, the city will install brick sidewalks on Huntington Drive between 2nd Avenue and Santa Clara Street as the first major phase of Arcadia's downtown revitalization project.
The proposed site for Arcadia's Gold Line station is just east of Santa Anita Avenue, at the First Avenue/Santa Clara intersection. City leaders want to separate the railroad tracks from the street.
Arcadia imports Monrovia Street Fair patriotic kick-off event set for July 3. It will happen weekly on Friday nights in Arcadia's downtown area, on First Avenue between Huntington Drive and Santa Clara Street.
Metro Foothill Gold Line crossing gates snarl traffic. Faulty part that was recalled worldwide blamed for malfunctions. There are 14 at-grade crossings throughout the 5 cities along the new extension: Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa (has two stations). Arcadia has only one at-grade crossing, but some cars were stuck at the crossing for 5 minutes or more. Each of the cities is working closely with Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority to synchronize traffic signals with train crossings to improve traffic flow.
Alan Weeks, a retiree who rode the last Pacific Electric Red Car that went through this area in 1951, visits the Arcadia Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and Santa Clara Street.
Closure of Santa Anita Avenue today begins seven months of bridge construction in Arcadia. Crews will begin constructing a new bridge over Santa Anita Avenue at the railroad crossing in Arcadia, as part of the 11.5 mile Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project.
The Arcadia city council endorsed the construction of the second phase of the Gold Line as a light rail transit system. Grade level of the major street crossings was discussed.
Gold Line construction will cause closure of intersection of First Avenue and Santa Clara Street for six months starting tomorrow. Front Street between Santa Clara Street and Saint Joseph Street will be permanently closing in September for the building of a parking structure and transit plaza on that site.
The Arcadia City Council has adopted an ordinance with rules for using Bonita Park's Skateboard Park. The city will follow state requirements that skateboarders must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. Hours are 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. Alcohol, drugs, and smoking are forbidden, as are graffiti and reckless skating.
Downtown Arcadia businesses create "Community Benefit District." Each business owner would pay extra in property taxes to go into a fund to better market the area to customers and visitors. With the Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street scheduled to open in 2015, efforts to help brand the area have been fast-tracked.
Arcadia Downtown Street Market now on Saturdays, 5-9 PM. It is run by Green Leaf Events on First Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Huntington Drive.
A federal judge has ordered Peter Kiewit and its subsidiary, Kiewit Pacific Co., now located in Santa Fe Springs, to pay the city of Arcadia the cost of cleaning up contaminated soil at the Santa Clara Street property it sold to the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency in 1985. The hazardous waste has put a new office building project on hold for more than a year and a half.
The Arcadia Board of Education approved an agreement with the city for the installation of an all-weather track at Arcadia High School. Total cost of the project is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $175,000.
Arcadia's new city government first formed in 1903 and its first meeting took place at Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's Oakwood Hotel, located at First Avenue and Santa Clara Road. Baldwin's hotel featured gambling and fine dining along with city government. The Oakwood Hotel burned down in 1911, and the city government moved to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and St. Joseph Street. Two years later, City Hall moved across the street to the Hibbard Building. In 1917, the first building was constructed as a City Hall at Huntington Drive and Second Avenue (?). A two-story colonial building was built for $18,000. This City Hall opened on July 13, 1918. City Hall moved in 1949 to a 13-acre parcel between Huntington Drive and the Pacific Electric railroad tracks.