HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10c - Colorado Street Name Change
DATE: October 17, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director
Kevin Merrill, City Engineer
By: Alana Bautista, Transportation Services Manager
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7527 CHANGING THE NAME OF COLORADO
STREET TO COLORADO BOULEVARD WITHIN CITY LIMITS, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD PORTION BETWEEN
HARVARD DRIVE AND PRINCETON ROAD
CEQA: Not a Project
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The Development Services Department is requesting consideration of a street name
change from Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard within the City limits, except for the
frontage road portion between Harvard Drive and Princeton Road. The intent of the street
name change is to create corridor uniformity with the neighboring cities of Pasadena
(incorporated and unincorporated) and Monrovia, who changed street names from
Colorado Street and Orange Street to Colorado Boulevard in the 1930s and 1950s.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7527 changing the name
of Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard within City limits, with the exception of the
frontage road portion between Harvard Drive and Princeton Road.
BACKGROUND
Colorado Boulevard is a major east-west street in Los Angeles County. It runs east from
Griffith Park in Los Angeles through Glendale, the Eagle Rock section of the City of Los
Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, and into central Monrovia, where it ends. Throughout its
long stretch, Colorado Boulevard is served by several bus routes operated by the Los
Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) and suburban systems such
as the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and Foothill Transit.
Colorado Boulevard becomes Colorado Street as it crosses Michillinda Avenue from East
Pasadena into Arcadia. Through Arcadia, the street parallels the Foothill Freeway, known
as Interstate 210 (I-210), providing access to many of the neighborhoods in west Arcadia.
Freeway access is provided through a separated interchange at Baldwin Avenue.
Resolution No. 7527 - Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard Change
October 17, 2023
Page 2 of 3
Colorado Street then turns southeast and splits into two streets: Colorado Boulevard,
which continues east, and Colorado Place, a short segment of the old U.S. Route 66
highway that runs southeast to merge with Huntington Drive near Santa Anita Park.
The City of Arcadia contains a short portion of the roadway that is still officially named
Colorado Street, measuring approximately 1.5 miles. Long ago, neighboring cities and
jurisdictions changed their street names to Colorado Boulevard. In the 1930s, the City of
Monrovia changed the name of Orange Street to Colorado Boulevard. Shortly after, the
City of Arcadia changed its Orange Street segment to Colorado Boulevard, located east
of Santa Anita Avenue to Fifth Avenue. In the 1950s, Pasadena changed their street name
of Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard. This included unincorporated East Pasadena,
which is adjacent to the City of Arcadia. At that time, the City of Arcadia did not change
its segment of Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard, leaving the western portion of the
street inconsistent within the City and in surrounding areas.
DISCUSSION
The fact that Colorado roadway is intermittently named “Street” and “Boulevard” in
Arcadia was recently brought to light through the City’s Colorado Boulevard Corridor
Complete Streets Project. This this project, Arcadia was awarded a $3 million grant from
United States Congresswoman Judy Chu of the 28th Congressional District of California.
The street name change would provide uniformity for this project, which is intended to
close a gap in the local and regional network for bicycles and sidewalks. The project’s
goal is to provide a safe and efficient corridor for all pedestrians, bicyclists and
automobiles along the current Colorado Street and Colorado Boulevard corridor between
Michillinda Avenue and Fifth Avenue in the City; the name change would further
complement the project and enhance its regional status. The attached map illustrates the
proposed segment that would be renamed.
The proposed street name change has minimal impact on the residences in the area. The
City plans to retain the frontage road portion of Colorado Street between Harvard Drive
and Princeton Road, which is separated from the main portion of the roadway by a dense
hedge. This will provide clarity for people seeking those addresses and will prevent an
address change to the 11 single-family residences located there. According to the Los
Angeles County Assessor’s Office, there is a single-family residence along this stretch
that already has a Colorado Boulevard address. This property address is 384 Colorado
Boulevard, located at the end of the Colorado Street frontage road segment intersecting
Princeton Road. The City plans to notify the property owner of the street name change
and assist with any subsequent address change, if necessary. No businesses in the area
will be impacted by the proposed street name change.
Should the City Council act to change the street name, one of the primary steps that must
be taken is to notify other agencies, businesses, and organizations so they can
incorporate the new name into their systems. This includes recording the change with the
Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office, informing all other City and County Departments,
and informing navigation companies such as Google, Apple, and Bing of the name
Resolution No. 7527 - Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard Change
October 17, 2023
Page 3 of 3
change, so that it is accurately reflected in their systems. To visually represent the
change, large street name signs will be installed on mast arms at the two signalized
intersections along this segment, which is paid for by the Colorado Boulevard Corridor
Complete Streets Project. A total of seven smaller current Colorado Street signs would
need to be replaced. The Public Works Services Department will install the new Colorado
Boulevard street name signs as part of their normal work program.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to the City will be minor as it simply involves the replacement of seven street
name signs, which will be installed by the Public Works Services Department as part of
their normal work program. It is estimated that the cost of the signs will be $885.30 with
sales tax, and this will be charged to the Colorado Boulevard Complete Streets Project
budget.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council find the proposed action does not constitute a
project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution
No. 7527 changing the name of Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard within City limits,
with the exception of the frontage road portion between Harvard Drive and Princeton
Road.
Attachments: Resolution No. 7527
Map of Proposed Change of Colorado Street to Colorado Boulevard
RESOLUTION NO. 7527
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA,
CALIFORNIA, CHANGING THE NAME OF COLORADO STREET
TO COLORADO BOULEVARD WITHIN CITY LIMITS, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD PORTION BETWEEN
HARVARD DRIVE AND PRINCETON ROAD.
WHEREAS, "Colorado Street" is a street located in the City of Arcadia between
Michillinda Avenue and the two-street split of "Colorado Boulevard" and "Colorado Place";
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia desires to rename the street "Colorado Street" to
"Colorado Boulevard";
WHEREAS, the street name change of "Colorado Boulevard" and "Colorado
Place" would provide uniformity of the "Colorado Boulevard" corridor that connects key
cities in Los Angeles County;
WHEREAS, the City plans to retain the frontage road portion of Colorado Street
between Harvard Drive and Princeton Road, therefore, not requiring an address change
to the eleven single-family residences located there;
WHEREAS, the twelfth residential property along the frontage road portion of
Colorado Street between Harvard Drive and Princeton Road, located at 384 Colorado
Boulevard, has a Colorado Boulevard address;
WHEREAS, the City plans to notify the property owner of 384 Colorado Boulevard
of the street name change and assist with any subsequent address change if necessary;
WHEREAS, no business in the area will be impacted by the proposed street name
change.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA,
CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY FIND, DETER MINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Colorado St
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Colorado Corridor Street Name Changes
Colorado
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Proposed Change From Colorado St to Colorado Blvd
Existing Colorado St to Remain
Colorado St
Street Name to be
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Street Name to be
Changed