A roadway improvement project in City Heights has reached a major milestone as a large stretch of University Avenue has been reopened with significant upgrades to the street and sidewalks.

Portions of University Avenue from Fairmount Avenue to Euclid Avenue were closed for several months as crews worked to significantly improve safety and mobility in the area for pedestrians, transit and vehicle traffic as part of the ongoing University Avenue Complete Street project.

Construction crews have installed new roundabouts at the intersections of University and Highland, Chamoune and Menlo avenues, as well as raised center medians, crosswalk signals, widened sidewalks, curb ramps, curb ramp extensions, transit stops, and drainage improvements.

This project began in January 2023 and soon after, the contractor encountered an unforeseen active SDG&E electric vault during trenching activities, part of the storm drain installation. Since the vault conflicted with the proposed storm drain and roadway improvements, the project timeline was significantly impacted. SDG&E, the utility owner, took approximately 15 months to relocate the vault.

Throughout these challenges, City staff have maintained consistent communication with businesses along the corridor and worked closely with community stakeholders.

“We are excited to reach another marker in the University Avenue Complete Street project that is making travel through City Heights easier and safer, but it didn’t come without hurdles,” said City Engineer Rania Amen, Director of the Engineering and Capital Projects Department. “We appreciate the continued patience of residents and business owners in this neighborhood throughout the project, specifically while we worked through unexpected issues. We believe that these improvements will provide a major boost to the community by encouraging all modes of travel.”

The project is a $13.2 million investment from multiple funding sources, including more than $5 million of federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grants from fiscal years 2018 and 2021 and more than $2 million of federal Community Development Block Grants from fiscal years 2022 and 2024. Additional funding is provided through Prop 42 Replacement funds, which come from gas tax revenues; Climate Equity funds, which are dedicated to climate investments in Communities of Concern; and TransNet funds, which are designated for essential transportation improvements throughout the city.

While University Avenue has reopened, construction is not yet fully complete. The City’s contractor will remain on site for the next several weeks to complete final work items, including resurfacing and restriping the street. No additional major road or sidewalk closures are anticipated. The project is expected to be fully completed this spring. For future updates on the project, please visit the project webpage.