Soto Street Widening - Multnomah Street To North Mission Road (Archived)

The City proposes to widen the stretch of Soto Street lying between Multnomah Street and North Mission Road in the community of El Sereno (Council Districts 1 and 14) to preserve it as a vital north-south regional transportation link. This would require relocation of the existing eastern edge of right-of-way (ROW) 45 feet to the east and acquisition of ROW that currently accommodates numerous billboards. The resulting widened ROW would be configured to include two (one in each direction) 10-foot interior traffic lanes, two (one in each direction) 11-foot exterior lanes, two (one in each direction) 5-foot shoulder lanes striped for bikeway use, one 4-foot median lane, and one 9-foot sidewalk adjacent to the western side of Soto Street with new railings. No sidewalk is proposed on the eastern side of the street.

The proposed project would require cutting as much as 45 feet of ROW into the hill that rises from the east side of Soto Street and the construction of a retaining wall. The proposed retaining wall would have a maximum length of approximately 2,300 feet and a maximum height of approximately 35 feet. Overhead power lines and poles, which currently extend along the east side of the roadway, would be relocated to east of the new edge of roadway.

In compliance with CEQA, an initial study has been prepared to assess the potential environmental impacts of this proposed project. Based on that study, no significant impacts on the environment are anticipated. Potential impacts to migratory or nesting birds will be determined based on project timing and absence/presence of suitable nesting habitat within close proximity to the project site, and mitigation measures would be implemented to protect or to avoid impacts on nesting birds. Therefore, the City proposes to adopt a mitigated negative declaration. The initial study/mitigated negative declaration, in English, is available for review below and at:

• El Sereno Branch Library, 5226 Huntington Drive South, Los Angeles,(323) 225-9201.
• Bureau of Engineering, Bridge Improvement Program office. Please call Chen-Min (George) Huang at (213) 202-5589 to schedule an appointment.

The review period has been completed. The project and its negative declaration are awaiting consideration by the Board of Public Works.