Signal Hill City Council approved a $378,090 contract for repairs on Panorama Trail slopes along with Molino Avenue and 20th Street slopes.
Panorama Promenade Trail in Signal Hill will be closed to the public for at least eight weeks following a storm on Feb. 6 that caused significant erosion to the land and slope.
The slope along Molino Avenue and 20th Street is also in need of critical repairs, as the hillside experienced similar levels of erosion during the February storm. The roads were temporarily shut down immediately following the storm, but have since reopened.
Signal Hill has contracted Zimprich Engineering to complete the necessary repairs at both sites for a total of $431,910, with an estimated completion date of March 29. In the event additional repairs are needed, Signal Hill has set aside $368,090.
City Manager Carlo Tomaino said in an email to the Signal Tribune that the City is anticipating “minor ancillary work” for repairs on the slope past March 29.
The City identified a “threat to the public and property” if the structures are not repaired, according to staff reports. The Panorama Promenade Trail’s damage is localized to two areas, creating a potentially dangerous situation to the thousands of residents who use the trail on a weekly basis if not repaired.
Priority Repairs for the Panorama Promenade Trail Slope Stabilization project include:
- Securing currently exposed utilities near the top of the road
- Grading and backfilling the slope by:
- Using plastic sheeting on compromised areas during rain
- Excavating the wet materials
- Importing dry materials for slope repair
- Removing trees
- Installing a retaining system consisting of 600 feet of metal pipes and 12-foot pressure-treated wooden planks. Placing gravel bags at the top of the slopes
Erosion to the hillside along Molino Avenue and 20th Street means repairs are needed to avoid damage to vehicles parked on the street, and to protect adjacent residential properties and roadway hazards from falling debris, according to staff reports. Zimprich Engineering is planning to build a retaining wall along the slope.
Priority repairs for the 20th and Redondo Slope Stabilization and Retaining Wall Project include:
- Covering compromised areas of the slope with plastic sheets and importing dry materials for slope repair in order to grade and fill the area
- Installing a retaining wall along the slope from 2 to 6 feet tall
- Placing gravel bags at the top of the slopes
Tomaino signed a Proclamation of a Local Emergency on Feb. 7 due to the storms and the Signal Hill City Council ratified the emergency on Feb. 13. The state of emergency allows cities to take quicker action on items without the guardrails of municipal codes regarding costs and timelines.
A local state of emergency means that “the public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health, or property” for “any sum required to mitigate the emergency,” according to city documents.
Due to the local state of emergency, Signal Hill Public Works did not have to undergo the regular bidding process. The City met with three companies who conducted a site review of both locations and contracted Zimprich Engineering on Feb. 11.
The state of emergency must be reviewed every 60 days according to the city’s municipal code, so Signal Hill City Council has the option to extend the local emergency or end it at its April 9 meeting.
