Progress Report - December 2003

We are committed to inform those who support this cause of unfavorable developments, as well as favorable ones. This report describes one of the former.

The Adams Street to Harrison Street Project (No.2)

This has been our largest project, supported by a $510,000 Federal TEA-21 Grant as well as the City ($370,000) and our own VAHRP funds ($118,000). The Federal portion was awarded to us in Jan. 2000. However, its implementation has been delayed by many factors, primarily associated with the unfamiliarity with this type of funding process apparent in several of The City’s departments. This is now compounded by the national budgetary situation that has worsened during this three-year interval of preparation. There is no danger of losing the contribution of the VAHRP i.e. our funds, or those that the City has committed to this project; but receipt of the Federal contribution may be delayed. According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) , there is also no chance of our losing the Federal grant funds committed; but the delay in their arrival in Sacramento may be several years! This situation is described in the Press-Enterprise, Nov. 20 2003 under the headline “ Highways Run on Empty”. Our project is not mentioned in this article, because of its small size relative to most highway projects; but it is in the category of those referred to in this article. Among this group of highway projects, according to the R.C.T.C., those associated with a TEA-21 Grant will have priority. Patience is what we need most.

The Jefferson St. to St. Lawrence St. Project (No 3)

This project involves the undergrounding of all utilities, repair and extension of the irrigation system and the replacement of missing and dying trees in the lateral right-of-ways. It will be financed by $75,000 from the California Heritage Fund plus $100,000 from The City and $100,000 from our donors. The initial, tree-planting phase of this project will be begun during the next month.

The Horace St. to Mary St. Project (No. 4)

This will be a joint venture with The City, that will consist almost entirely of undergrounding of the utilities.. We anticipate no difficulty in providing our portion of the funding.

Fund Raising Efforts

Private funds which have been contributed for this project to date total $810,000 from almost 800 donors. These donors include individuals from many Southern California Cities as well as eleven other states and two foreign countries. All have at some time lived in Riverside!

Rep. Ken Calvert and his staff (Ms. Maria Bowie) have aided us in efforts to pass a TEA-21 Refinancing Bill in Congress this year.

You will receive our new brochure about The Avenue early in 2004!

Last Modified: January 6, 2004