The Pico Rivera City Council ratified the city’s Historic Whittier Boulevard Vision Plan on Tuesday and approved an amendment to its accompanying multimodal plan.

The move gets the city one step closer to a long-reaching design for Whittier Boulevard, ramping up a communitywide revitalization. At the same meeting, city leaders also honored 11 artists who created artwork for 18 city-owned utility boxes across Pico Rivera.

“This milestone marks a significant step toward revitalizing one of our city’s most iconic and historically rich corridors,” said Pico Rivera Mayor Andrew Lara. “Whittier Boulevard has long been the heart of our community, a vibrant hub where history, culture and commerce intersect.”

Lara said the Historic Whittier Boulevard Vision Plan reflects the city’s commitment to preserving the boulevard’s legacy while embracing new opportunities for growth and innovation.

He noted that it is the result of input from residents, business owners and stakeholders, who shape a “shared vision for the future.”

That vision includes revamped pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, enhanced public spaces while encouraging a more connected and economically successful city, Lara said.

The City Council adopted the first part of the project, the multimodal plan, in April. The designs include improved walking, bicycling and transit access. There are designs for bike lanes, extension of sidewalks, micro-parks, space for outdoor dining and a facade program on the north side.

Javier Hernandez, director of innovation and communications, said the vision is to create a destination in Pico Rivera, much like downtown Downey, Old Town Monrovia and Uptown Whittier.

The plans, three years in the vetting, are designed to exceed state goals for complete streets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as vehicle miles traveled and enhance safety for vulnerable road users, according to City Manager Steve Carmona.

“This vision plan intends to be a model plan to inform the transformation of Whittier Boulevard into a vibrant, mixed-use, walkable neighborhood main street,” Carmona wrote in a staff report.

On Tuesday, the council approved a small modification to the multimodal plan schematics that adds a Preferred Alternative for the Pio Pico Park Bikeway Connector Project.

Lara said the plans scratch the surface of upcoming projects that include proposals for a transit corridor running through the city that could be ready in time for the 2028 Olympics.

The Whittier Boulevard plans are outlined at pico-rivera.org/historic-whittier-boulevard- revitalization-program.