Letters to the Editor: Cheers for Holiday Trolley, jeers for Glendale sign on Foothill Boulevard

The first time my wife and I rode the Glendale Holiday Trolley, it was to accompany our grandson who loves anything on rails. We immediately realized how pleasant it was to park well north of the 134 Freeway and ride into downtown, listening to Christmas carols, avoiding the search for a parking space and meeting families on their way, like us, to buy holiday gifts. It made our shopping so much easier. Our thanks to our City Council for bringing the Holiday Trolley to us all.

Dan and Judy Cabrera

Glendale

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Re: “City Plans to Reinstall Damaged Glendale Sign,” Dec. 23-24. The “Welcome to Glendale” sign near the intersection of Foothill and Pennsylvania is a terrible idea for several reasons.

First, it is extremely unattractive. It is just a hunk of concrete right in the middle of the boulevard. Whatever nominal plants may or may not be installed, the fact remains that the sign is unappealing. In fact, the “Glendale” upon it scarcely stands out, so that the sign does not effectively serve its purpose. If the city of Glendale wants a sign here, it should be part of an entire landscaped median, such as the beautifully landscaped medians in the La Cañada Flintridge portion of Foothill Boulevard.

Second, it is a road hazard. It is an obstacle because it is not a real landscaped median strip. It does not surprise me that a vehicle has already crashed into it. Drivers may start moving into the median in order to turn left on Pennsylvania and not see the sign in time to avoid crashing into it, especially if this obstacle is not illuminated at night. It is likely that more accidents will occur.

Third, the sign is inaccurate. It should read, “Welcome to the La Crescenta Area of the City of Glendale.” La Crescenta is a distinct area, such as the Montrose area of Glendale, and should be recognized as such. I agree with the petitions asking that the sign be removed or changed as referred to in the article.

If, in fact, the concrete sign does lead to more accidents, and the city is sued for this obvious road hazard, perhaps then Glendale will remove the sign or create a proper, full-scale landscaped median.

Bruce Hale

La Crescenta