La Palma City Council Moves Ahead With Street Upgrade

Instead of waiting for long-delayed matching funds from bankrupt Orange County, the City Council has agreed to pick up the entire tab for improvements to La Palma Avenue and seek reimbursement later.

In its role as the Community Development Commission, the council voted this week to solicit bids for the street work and, if necessary, to pay about $504,000 toward the projected total of $546,000.

Cerritos agreed to pay the $42,000 difference because part of the street is within its city limits.

The Orange County Transportation Authority in 1994 approved a $180,994 grant to La Palma as matching funds for the street improvement. But the county declared bankruptcy late that year, and the city still has not received the promised money.

“Staff has been advised that when the bankruptcy is resolved, and if funds are available, then the city may expect reimbursement,” Public Works Director Ismile H. Noorbaksh told the council.

The project is to include widening the roadway from Redford Avenue to Denni Street, installing street lights and putting in a traffic signal at the intersection of Denni and La Palma Avenue, Noorbaksh said. It also will include removing broken asphalt and resurfacing the street.