Wishing You the Very Best for 2018!

Happy New Year! After a well-deserved break in December, the Crescenta Valley Town Council resumes its monthly general meetings on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. in the community room of the La Crescenta Library at 2809 Foothill Blvd.

2018 is already shaping up to be an exciting year. The medians are coming! Yes, construction is never great for traffic, but once the medians are completed, Foothill Boulevard will look so much better – and greener – with native plants and shrubs. The medians will create more intimacy on a thoroughfare that is often traveled at higher speed than advised. A mile-long stretch of Foothill Boulevard will see a series of medians strategically placed to minimally impede traffic and promote safety.

Speaking of safety, we continue to experience construction on the I-210. As we all know, Caltrans closes some I-210 on- and off-ramps during daytime and at night. Needless to say, the schedule is ever-changing depending on weather and other conditions. I asked Caltrans for an overall schedule of completion, ramp by ramp, and received the below reply, which I want to share with you verbatim as it is instructive:

“It is hard to pinpoint when exactly we will no longer need to close on- or off-ramps in [the] La Crescenta/La Cañada Flintridge area for this project because we still need to go back to [the] area and do final overlay on lanes, add final striping and individual slabs as well as sign structures and landscaping.

“However, the long-term ramp closures are shifting toward Pasadena and we don’t anticipate closing any more ramps long term before Angeles Crest Highway (EB on-ramps currently closed for up to 45 days). The last La Cañada Flintridge long-term ramp closure will be the eastbound Foothill on-ramp, which will start sometime next month once we reopen Angeles Crest Highway on-ramps.

“Anticipated completion date for project is summer. If weather cooperates, it could be around June. That’s the goal!”

That’s what we have to look forward to until June – maybe through the summer. But once the work is done, we will enjoy beautiful and safer pavement on the I-210.

As many of you will have seen on the La Crescenta Official Page Facebook group, there are concerns about coyotes in our community. The below is a recent post that is indicative:

“Christmas break for the kids and my 5-year-old is afraid to play in our front lawn fearing a family of 4+ coyotes living behind the Rosemont LDS Church, 100 yards from our front door, and 40 yards from the Rosemont Middle School playground. They’re not afraid of humans, and seem to be roaming more aggressively lately.

“Any suggestions on who can relocate them, or at least deter them to relocate? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I would love my kids to be able to enjoy playing in our front yard and wanting to ride their bikes again.”

These are the kinds of community issues we want to address in 2018 as you join us for general meetings every third Thursday of each month. It’s true; we live in a habitat that was once completely wild. Co-existence is a reality. We welcome your suggestions for inviting organizations and agencies that will enrich our community’s well being to make 2018 an even better year than 2017.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the new year. May you have an abundant and amazing 2018 ahead of you and may all your dreams come true.

See you at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18!

Harry Leon is the president of the Crescenta Valley Town Council.