Olive roadwork begins

BURBANK — A redevelopment project started Monday on Olive Avenue as construction began on sidewalks, driveways and the street between Glenoaks Boulevard and Sixth Street.

The 1/3-mile stretch of street will be repaved, and damaged curbs, gutters and pedestrian ramps will be reconstructed, Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford said.

“It was in very poor condition,” she said. “We like to get in, get it all done and get out of there.”

The $380,000 project was financed through a community development block grant that helps low-income neighborhoods revitalize the area, Teaford said.

“It’s based on income levels for that census tract,” she said. “In other parts of Burbank, some [projects are financed through] general funds, some from state and federal gas money, and [Proposition] 1B will be used for some streets.”

The streets will be repaved using rubberized asphalt, following a similar project about a mile down the road.

Olive Avenue, from Parish Place to Virginia Avenue, is in the final stages of construction, Teaford said.

“They’re paving it sometime this week or next,” she said. “Then they have to [paint lanes on the street]. It’s about two or three weeks from being done.”

Construction from Glenoaks Boulevard to Sixth Street should not affect traffic too badly, she said.

“We’re keeping a lane open in each direction,” Teaford said. “But we’re telling people, ‘If you can avoid the area during construction, there are lots of options on Glenoaks [Boulevard].’”

The city plans to keep one lane open on each side of the street. The usually four lanes of Olive Avenue will temporarily be reduced to two, Teaford said.

“That portion of Olive [Avenue] doesn’t carry that much traffic, and I don’t expect dramatic delays,” she said.

However, some at the Burbank Central Library, on the corner of Olive Avenue and Glenoaks Boulevard, are wary of delays.

“We’re concerned that it could preempt people from parking in the parking lot,” said Helen Wang, assistant director of the library. “Any time there is construction, we’re concerned about the inconvenience, but we just have to work around it.

“We know that the city people realize the possible inconvenience, but they have to do the work.”

Wang is reminding patrons that alternate modes of transportation are available.

“You can still walk to get to the library,” she said.

Construction should be finished by Nov. 9, Teaford said.