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LCTI: Rush Street Corridor Enhancement Plan

Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP)
Planning and Capacity Building Grant

City of South El Monte | Rush Street Corridor Enhancement Plan

City of South El Monte Logo

June 2021 – August 2024

Project Details

The project will conceptualize Rush Street as a rejuvenated multi-modal corridor that engages surrounding neighborhoods to participate in active transportation modes of travel. Rush Street is a major east-west arterial road running through the heart of the City of South El Monte (City), providing connections to schools, businesses, and other important destinations. The resulting plan will help the City create a safe multi-modal corridor that will connect residents and businesses throughout the City.

This planning effort will examine traffic calming strategies, including but not limited to: protected bike lanes, dedicated rapid transit lanes, smart bus stops, and ADA improvements. These improvements are necessary to increase pedestrian safety, augment the City’s existing bicycle network, and help improve public transit quality along Rush Street, all of which align with existing State and regional goals of reducing single-occupant motor vehicle trips and improving safety for all roadway users.

The Road, Street and Highway Map displays the City of South El Monte, a 2.8 square mile urban area within the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County. The project area boundary is marked by a thick, solid and closed line. To the north of the project area is Interstate 10 and to the south is State Route 60. The project area is also bordered by the Rio Hondo to the west and the San Gabriel River to the east. The project focuses on Rush Street which mostly runs west to east and intersects the project area. For more map details, contact movingca@arb.ca.gov.
Project Area Map, South El Monte in Los Angeles County

Funding Details

Grant Amount: $205,108

Resources Contribution: $7,904

Project Total: $213,012

By the Numbers

Planned Community Engagement Activities

  • 15,000 Phone calls and/or text messages
  • 5 Multilingual mailers
  • 5 Stakeholder interviews
  • 12 Community pop-up events
  • 2 Door-to-door canvassing events
  • 3 Community engagement workshops 
  • 2 Council meetings 
  • 1 Corridor Enhancement Plan

Estimated Quantifiable Benefits

  • Direct Jobs: 1
  • Induced Jobs: 1

Project website landing page image   Project booth with project team talking to event attendees

Event booth with attendees visiting and talking to project team        Active SGV booth and volunteer handing out materials at project event

Community Details

The population of the City of South El Monte is 20,878 residents of which 82% are Latinx. The area is designated as an SB 535 disadvantaged community, with a median household income of $42,460, or 67% of the statewide average. Within the community, there are 112 households without access to a car, and according to the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimate, 74.4% of South El Monte residents drive alone to work - a rate far higher than the 3.9% who use public transit, the 4.37% who walk, and less than 1% who bicycle.

Rush Street was identified in the San Gabriel Valley Regional Bicycle Master Plan (Phase I - 2012-2014) as part of a bike network for all the city streets. The City identified Rush Street for improvements because it is one of the only major east-west corridors for the City, and an industrial and commercial corridor that provides a connection to the Rio Hondo River Path (regional river and parkway).

Community Benefits

This project will create a Rush Street Corridor Enhancement Plan that envisions an increase in multimodal transportation, particularly bus and active transportation options (walking and cycling), promotes safety and comfort for all users by identifying potential biking and walking improvements and key areas to expand the urban forest to mitigate heat impacts, and spurs transit-oriented development and housing development along the corridor while incorporating anti-displacement and affordability policies. When complete, this planning effort will support a South El Monte that is more sustainable, climate ready, and resilient, and will prepare for a Rush Street Corridor that meets community residents’ transportation needs.

Demographics of Community Served by Project: 

80% Hispanic/Latino, 16% Asian, 2% White, 1% Black or African American, and 1% Other
Median Household Income: $65,584 

    Outreach & Engagement Strategies

    • Project website
    • Canvassing
    • Phone banking
    • Surveys
    • Translated materials in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog
    • Pop up events 
    • Community engagement workshops and meetings 
    • Marketing flyers
    • Interviews
    • Social media and newsletters

    Target Populations

    • People living in poverty
    • Communities of color
    • Residents with lower levels of education
    • Non-English speakers
    • Youth
    • Older adults
    • People with disabilities
    • Housebound residents
    • Small business owners

    Partnership Structure

    Grantee

    The City of South El Monte is the local government overseeing the Rush Street Corridor Enhancement Plan effort. The City will lead many project components, but will also support Active SGV on their engagement work, and coordinate with the project team. 

    Subgrantee

    Community Partners

    Contact

    Angie Hernandez | City of South El Monte