The Santa Clarita City Council has plans to discuss a $3.3 million beautification project for an eastern entrance for the Santa Clarita Valley from State Route 14 called the Newhall Gateway.
“This project will beautify the existing on- and off-ramps to enhance a primary entry point to the Newhall community,” according to the city’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
The Newhall Gateway Beautification project is located within the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, right of way at the Newhall Avenue and State Route 14 interchange, according to the city’s map.
“Over the years, no improvements have been made to provide an aesthetically pleasing, regionally adapted landscape,” according to a website by the project’s designer, Pacific Coast Land Design. “The land is barren, with no color, nor any consistency with the city’s well-established landscape infrastructure.”
The plan calls for a “special emphasis” to be placed on creating beautifully landscaped gateway entry and exit points visible to motorists on this “regionally significant freeway,” according to Pacific Coast.
“The existing project location includes approximately 200,000 square feet of blighted, unimproved land with no existing irrigation,” according to the city’s website. “The beautification of the area surrounding the interchange will improve existing conditions, highlight the mountainous terrain of the area, enhance … infrastructure, and enhance a primary entry point for the Newhall community.”
City staff liken the improvements — landscaping, trees, cobblestone hardscape, fencing and stamped concrete — to gateway beautification projects along State Route 14 at the Sand Canyon interchange, and along Interstate 5 at the Lyons Avenue interchange.
City officials said the work is part of the city’s five-year strategic plan, Santa Clarita 2025.
The city announced the plan in June 2024 as part of the following fiscal year’s budget.
