Dear Editor:The City of Downey is embarking on the Firestone Boulevard Street Improvement and Beautification Project, a much needed and long awaited project as Firestone Boulevard is a major arterial roadway traversing through the City and vital to the health of the City's commerce. The purpose of this project is to enhance traffic safety, increase traffic flow and mobility to provide increased and more efficient access to various businesses located alongside the boulevard and to enhance and beautify the Firestone Boulevard corridor. This comprehensive effort will include the following elements: pavement rehabilitation and the repair of concrete surfaces, streetscape enhancements (i.e., colored concrete intersections and crosswalks, ornamental traffic signals and street lights, decorative street furniture, parkway trees and plants, etc.) between La Reina Avenue and Dolan Avenue to accentuate the downtown portion of the corridor, raised landscaped median islands, and street trees and attractive landscaping schemes using the most advanced and efficient green technology tools. The City of Downey prides itself as a business friendly organization and, as such, we are very sensitive to the needs of our local businesses. A partnership between the City, members of the public and our business community will be essential in order to ensure the successful completion of this project. Our plan is to conduct a number of public outreach meetings to present the project's design concepts and receive input from the public. The first of these meetings was held on February 9, 2012, when staff presented the preliminary plans to a limited number of local business owners who participated. City staff benefitted from receiving valuable information and input which will play an important role in developing and finalizing the plans. We intend to actively reach out to a larger number of residents and business owners and conduct more informative and constructive public outreach meetings before finalizing the design phase and starting the construction activities of this project. We intend to incorporate reasonable and practical concepts offered to us by the residents and business owners with the ultimate goal of providing a safer, more efficient and aesthetically-pleasing experience for the residents, business owners and travelling public along Firestone Boulevard. -- Edwin Norris, Deputy Director of Public Works, City of Downey

********** Published: February 16, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 44