Signal Hill approved plans for a $5 million overhaul of major intersections throughout the city, with the goal of improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety and easing traffic.
City council approved two separate projects: the Willow Street and Cherry Avenue Corridors Collision Reduction Project and the Citywide Transportation Safety Enhancement Project. Both are aimed at roadway safety and will target especially busy areas of the city typically used by multiple modes of transportation.
Most of the intersections set for improvements are identified as high-collision areas based on City data from 2017 to 2021.
These intersections include:
- Spring Street and Orange Avenue
- Willow Street and Orange Avenue
- Willow Street and Town Center
- Willow Street and California Avenue
- Willow Street and Junipero Avenue
- Hill Street and Obispo Avenue
- Spring Street and Cherry Avenue
- Burnett Street/Skyline Drive and Cherry Avenue
- Willow Street and Temple Avenue
- Willow Street and Walnut Avenue
- Pacific Coast Highway and Redondo Avenue
- Cherry Avenue and 21st Street
- Spring Street and Walnut Avenue
- Spring Street and California Avenue
- 33rd Street and California Avenue
These projects are fully funded through grants, and Signal Hill is not using any of its own money for the improvements. City staff applied for federal and state grants from the Highway Safety Improvement program as well as CalTrans money through Measure R.
Both projects will begin the design phase in December, with construction expected to begin in July 2026 and wrap up in June 2027.
Willow and Cherry Project
This project aims to make two of Signal Hill’s busiest corridors safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians through upgraded signals and new crosswalk markings.
Improvements will span on Willow Street from California to Temple Avenue, and on Cherry Avenue from Spring to 20th Street. Altogether, the project will impact 15 intersections by installing a new fiber-optic network, which will allow for real-time monitoring and improved traffic signaling, hopefully resulting in less congestion and smoother movement of vehicles.
Currently, all of Signal Hill’s crosswalks and lights operate separately and are monitored by the City. This upgrade will allow the City to change settings such as crosswalk and light timers in communication with one another rather than separately.
Additional improvements to the 15 intersections include:
- Enhanced signal timing
- New signal heads
- Retroreflective backplates to make signals more visible
- Timed countdown signals
- More distinct crosswalk markings
Signal Hill is receiving $1.08 million in state funds for this project, and another $1.08 million from Metro funds, for a total of $2.16 million to cover all engineering and construction costs.
This project is completely separate from the Willow Street corridor improvements that covers Walnut Street to Cherry Avenue, which is going through the right of requisition project with Metro, according to Public Works Director Thomas Bekele.
Citywide Transportation Safety
Eleven high-collision intersections in Signal Hill will see changes over the next few years through the Citywide Transportation Safety Enhancement Project. Eight of the intersections will receive protected left-turn phasing, and three intersections will receive improved signage. Crosswalks at 18 approaches will also receive a pedestrian countdown.
This project is receiving $2.7 million from federal dollars and $302,000 in Metro dollars, for a total of $3 million.
