It was interesting to read Perry Smith’s front-page article in the June 20 edition of The Mighty Signal headlined, “City to discuss Newhall Gateway project.” It is proposed that a beautification project for the eastern entrance to the Santa Clarita Valley be considered at a cost of $3.3 million. It was stated (by the city) that, “This project will beautify the existing on- and off-ramps to enhance a primary entry point to the Newhall community.”
I would agree that exiting State Route 14 at New-hall Avenue may not be our city’s most appealing entrance to our community, but I would like to suggest that there are more immediate priorities that should be taken prior to spending money to enhance this intersection. I would like to invite members of the City Council to take a short drive from the State Route 14/Newhall Avenue exit and head toward downtown Newhall. They would find that from about Green Thumb Nursery well into Newhall, and beyond, the roadway has been chopped up and patched so many times that this stretch of roadway resembles what Newhall Avenue (then named San Fernando Road) looked like when I moved to Valencia exactly 50 years ago. This stretch of roadway would certainly be a top candidate for the worst paved road in Santa Clarita.
I understand that from time to time it’s necessary to tear up sections of roads to update various under-street infrastructure. However, there are grinding machines available for use to smooth out these repaved/patched sections so that they don’t look like streets in third world communities. I would respectfully ask members of the City Council to restore
Newhall Avenue to its previous smooth condition prior to considering expensive landscape expenditures at the State Route 14/Newhall Avenue exit.
Dennis Fuerst
Santa Clarita
