Mile-long median along Foothill Boulevard in the works

A 1-mile stretch of Foothill Boulevard in La Crescenta is poised for a new median in an aim to beautify a commercial stretch of the community.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s office recently announced it would allocate $1 million to fund the project that would span Foothill between Pennsylvania and Briggs avenues.

Crescenta Valley Town Council President Robbyn Battles said the median is something some business owners have asked for, and she pushed up the request several times to the county level.

Now that it’s happening, she anticipates an ongoing dialogue with the supervisor’s office, the council, local shop owners and the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce to nail down a final design.

“We think just from a visual standpoint [the median] will make the boulevard more interesting and add some character,” Battles said.

She said some of the stipulations already in place include having drought-tolerant plants on the medians as well as allowing for breaks throughout — the median won’t be continuous for one mile.

Part of having gaps along the median would be to ensure motorists still have easy access to turn into businesses, Battles said.

But one concern some store owners may have is room for large delivery trucks to turn, said Kaipo Chock, owner of JR Hardware, Sash & Door.

Chock, who serves on the chamber’s board of directors, will be the organization’s representative on the matter.

He said he’s in favor of the median and that La Crescenta is behind communities like Pasadena and Glendale in having a downtown. The new infrastructure may help draw shoppers, he said.

“As far as small business, I think it would benefit them,” Chock said. “It would make [Foothill] more attractive and attract customers to the businesses.”

While the final decision on the median’s design is up to the county, officials will be bringing schematics for feedback to the council in the coming months.

Edel Vizcarra, a planning and public works deputy with the supervisor’s office, said he already has an idea of what the community is asking for.

“The real push is for the medians to provide more of a walkable atmosphere. One of the things we heard from residents was that right now, Foothill is not very pedestrian friendly,” he said. “They’re hoping the medians offer some breakage where people feel a little more comfortable and that traffic is traveling a little slower.”

But despite the $1 million, Battle said she believes there’s more to be done on Foothill, and that may come by the way of a master plan.

Part of what she hopes to see one day are way-finding signs that point out notable locations in the community as well as bulb-outs — another traffic-calming measure that extends sidewalks so pedestrians spend less time crossing a street.

“We really want to create more of a downtown feel,” Battles said.