This week Glendale City Council requested a $300,000 study to look into the cost and impact of building a so-called “cap park” over a portion of the Ventura Freeway.
The park would serve as a connector between the north and south sides of the city and is seen by supporters as both a public safety improvement and an increase in vibrant green space with plans to include walking trains, a concert space, and a children’s play area.
City staffers have suggested that the first phase of construction may span over the 134 Freeway between Central Avenue and Brand Boulevard and then extend to Geneva Street. Though a final design may be years away, the first phase of the project would bring the total area of the park to about 4 or 5 acres.
Residents polled were found to have broad support for the project, which has been modeled after similar parks constructed above recessed roadways in Phoenix, Dallas, Sacramento and Seattle. Some residents, however, have expressed concerns about how money would be generated to fund the project. In Los Angeles, a similar proposal for a park over the 101 Freeway from Hollywood Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard is currently under environmental review.
Guests:
Laura Friedman, Glendale City Councilmember and former Mayor of Glendale from 2011-2012
Eric Jay Toll, reporter covering the economy, infrastructure and transportation for the Phoenix Business Journal who's been following the project over the years