Repairs may finally be coming to Lakewood Blvd.

DOWNEY – When will Lakewood Boulevard between Florence Avenue and Telegraph Road be repaired? The answer may be “soon”.

Council members this week unanimously approved plans to overhaul the corridor by repairing the dilapidated street, adding a third lane in each direction, and extending the center median.

The project will be put out to bid after a 2-3 week community outreach effort. Construction could begin in June, with most of the heavy work taking place overnight to limit the impact on traffic.

Construction would last through September, officials said.

According to a report by public works director Mohammad Mostahkami, Lakewood Boulevard will be repaired in three segments. The first segment stretches from Florence Avenue to Gallatin Road.

Crews will replace the street pavement while adding a third travel lane in each direction. Existing median islands will be extended to close existing openings, meaning vehicles will no longer be able to turn left onto southbound Lakewood Boulevard from the opposite side of the street.

There are also plans to install decorative street lighting, replace fire hydrants, construct new sidewalks, and install a new water main that will use recycled water for irrigation purposes.

Plans to move overhead utilities underground were scrapped, however, due to its $9 million price tag.

In other action, the City Council:

•awarded a $535,000 contract to South Bay Landscaping for landscape and irrigation work along Firestone Boulevard.

The lowest of eight bidders, South Bay Landscaping will install trees, shrubs and a new irrigation system as part of a major reconstruction of Firestone Boulevard between Old River School Road and Brookshire Avenue.

•hired a consulting firm to help recruit a new fire chief and space center executive director.

Fire Chief Lonnie Croom announced last month he will retire Aug. 2 and the position of executive director of the Columbia Memorial Space Center has been vacant for nearly two years.

Roberts Consulting Group Inc. will be paid up to $45,000 to help in the recruitment.

•put on hold a proposed deal with Cingular Wireless for a cell tower at Discovery Park.

AT&T, which merged with Cingular in 2004, is seeking to install a cell tower on a light pole beyond the softball field. A necessary utility box, however, would be located on the soccer field sidelines, drawing concern from council members.

City officials and AT&T are expected to revise the plan and come back to the City Council in two weeks.

If the deal is ultimately approved, AT&T would pay Downey $3,000 per month for a minimum 10 years. The monthly payments increase 3 percent per year in years 2-10.

The agreement is renewable for two additional five-year terms unless 60 days’ notice is provided.

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Published: March 27, 2014 - Volume 12 - Issue 50