Claremont Eco-Village Concepts

Claremont Eco-Village

Join in advocating for the Claremont Eco-Village by asking the City Council to have our

Transit-Oriented Development Plan implement Eco-Village Concepts instead of having the

Gold Line build an expensive structure to elevate tracks as they cross Indian Hill. We want to

improve the Village and not build a wall that would divide Claremont and encourage more cars

to drive thought the Village.

By having cars drive to the Claremont Village; not through it, we can create an even better

place for walking, riding a bike, and gaining access to public transit. Claremont can demon-

strate how transitioning to clean transportation can be healthier for people and the environment,

while improving our quality of life. In Claremont, Town and Monte Vista Avenues provide

good ways to go around our Village with access to both the 10 and 210 Freeways. Indian Hill

Boulevard provides access to the Village, but is not a good way to go through it. Traffic studies

show it will become increasingly difficult to drive a car through the Village. We must maintain

uncongested access to all locations throughout Claremont.

Using airspace over the railroad, pedestrian bridges can weave Claremont together. The High

Line Park, in New York City, provides examples of very successful elevated urban pedestrian

spaces. Here in Claremont, the existing parking structure could be linked by a pedestrian bridge

over the tracks to a new parking structure in the Transit-Oriented Development on the South

side of the tracks. Similarly, pedestrian bridges should be added where each station is devel-

oped. This would make the Gold Line and Metro Link Rail stations accessible from both sides

of all the tracks. Including elevators, large enough to take bicycles, would accommodate both

pedestrians and cyclists. All parts of Claremont should have easy access to the train and bus

stations. Weaving Claremont together, with urban park-like pedestrian bridges over the tracks,

would cost less than building an elevate rail that would divide the Village.

Adding railroads and buses improve our public transportation hub, making the Claremont Vil-

lage even more accessible and vital. However, the Claremont Village should sustain and en-

hance its pleasant pedestrian environment...not become a place that's cut off by a raised railroad

track bridges and congested by cars trying to drive through it on Indian Hill Boulevard.

Abate noise by not elevating the Goldline tracks and establish a quiet zone for all trains, includ-

ing Metrolink and freight lines. Having less traffic on Indian Hill Boulevard would help.

Let’s ask our City Councilmen to support a more sustainable Eco-Village Concept. In doing the

Transit-Oriented Development Plan, funded by Metrolink, Claremont can work with both Gold

Line and Metrolink to increase ridership. The Eco-Village concept can create a pedestrian, bicy-

cle, and public transit priority zone and decrease through-traffic in the Village. Indian Hill does-

n't have the capacity to be a through street and it's not necessary if we have an Eco-Village

Transit-Oriented Development Plan and make better use of our existing street network.

Please join this campaign to come together as a community— like we did for purchasing the

water company, acquiring Johnson's Pasture, and saving the Packing House.

Houten (See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houten.)

Places like Houten, in the Netherlands, have already successfully dealt with through traffic to

create vibrant walking , biking and public transit priority zones.

(See also: www.http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/discover-houten-netherlands-another-cyclist-

paradise.html.)

The High Line Park (see www.thehighline.org)

Places like The High Line, in New York City, have demonstrated how to successfully develop

elevated urban places. The High Line project was conceive by community action.

Claremont could weave the Eco-Village together using airspace over the existing railroad tracks

and provide pedestrian and even bike access to parking and transit stations from both sides of

the tracks.

Claremont Eco-Village Concept

The Eco-Village is to be a priority zone for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit.

Elevated urban parks provide pedestrian access and viewing places, bridging the railroad tracks:

Connect Village west to Village South at the Packing House.

1. Connect the existing Village West parking structure to a new parking structure in

Village South, just north of the Vortox Building.

2. Connect Village West to the Old Village bridging Indian Hill Blvd at the RR crossing.

3. Connect the North and South side of the RR tracks at the Gold Line Station

so the South Village has direct access to the Gold Line.

4. Bridge College Avenue so pedestrians can walk from one transit station to another

without having to cross a street.

5. Connect the North and South side of the RR track at the MetroLink Station

so people in South Claremont can walk ,or bike, directly to the Metrolink Station

through the existing parks in South Claremont.

Connect the Eco-Village and Colleges to the Metrolink Station.

(Eco-Village Concept Suggestions by Mark von Wodtke, FASLA)

“Through traffic” should to go around the Eco-Village using Towne and Monte Vista Avenues

“To traffic” may come into the Eco-Village on Indian Hill, College, Bonita, and 1st Street

Signage

1. An entry sign on Indian Hill at Foothill Boulevard should state:

"Pedestrian, bike, and public transit priority zone. Expect delays in motor vehicles. All through

traffic should use Mountain or Claremont Boulevards. Use Town Avenue to access the 10 and

210 Freeways going West. Use Monte Vista to access the 10 and 210 Freeways is going East."

2. An entry sign on Indian Hill at Arrow Highway should state:


traffic should use Mountain or Claremont Boulevards. Use Town Avenue to access the 10 and


3. An entry sign on 1st Street at Claremont Boulevard should state:


traffic should use Foot Boulevard and Arrow Highway. Use Town Avenue to access the 10 and


4. An entry sign on Bonita Avenue at Mountain Avenue should state:


traffic should use Foot Boulevard and Arrow Highway. Use Town Avenue to access the 10 and


Drive to the Claremont Eco-Village not through It

Please select your driving routes carefully so that you're not passing through the Claremont Eco- Village when coming to, or leaving town. You'll be saving yourself time and will help reduce congestion in the Claremont Eco-Village. This will help abate noise on Indian Hill and also help establish “quiet zones” for all trains at the railroad crossings.

Accommodate Through Traffic

Drive around the Claremont Eco-Village. To accommodate through traffic, the Transit Districts could provide a grade separation for all tracks at Town Avenue, so that this through-street will have access to the freeways going West without any delays from trains. Grade separations are safer—saving lives and reducing the railroads' liability risks. Monte Vista already has this separation, making it easy to safely get around the Claremont Village and onto to Freeways when traveling East.

Maps

All maps published by the City of Claremont, the Chamber of Commerce, School District, Col-

leges, and Thomas Guide should have a green overlay showing the Claremont Eco-

Village bounded by Foothill Boulevard on the North, Arrow Highway on the South, Claremont

Boulevard on the East, and Mountain Avenue on the West..

The maps should highlight the Eco-Village and note:

"Pedestrian, bike, and public transit priority zone.

Expect delays in motor vehicles.

Through-traffic should use peripheral routes."

Navigation Devices

Google Maps, Bing, and mobile navigation devices are to show the Claremont Eco-Village and

guide through-traffic around it. Only people going to destinations in the Eco-Village should go

into it.

Walking

Enjoy Claremont’s pedestrian environment. Claremont can build upon the walking culture we

already have. The book Loving LA the Low Carabon Way, was written by Grace Moremen and

Jaqueline Chase (both live in Claremont) with a forward by David Oxtoby, the President of

Pomona College. The book which describes “24 Adventures in the City of Angels Via Public

Transportation” could add adventures in the Claremont Eco-Village, all easily accessible from

our Gold Line and Metrolink Stations. Self-guided walking tours encouraging people to walk

benefits their health, as well as the health of our community and planet.

Biking

Having bike-share and pedi-cab stations at both the Goldline and Metrolink stations would

make it easy for people to ride to any destination in the Claremont Eco-Village, such as the

Claremont Colleges, and even Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. The Claremont Senior Bike

Club, founded by Larry Sheetz, has been developing a bike culture in Claremont for the past

several decades. Claremont can also build upon the “Safe Routes to Schools” Program and

continue to get funding for bike safety.

Solar charging stations, set up throughout the Claremont Eco-Village for E-Bikes and Segways,

could help expand the freedom of greater mobility to those who may be exercise adverse, dis-

abled, or physically handicapped.

Pedestrian Places

Claremont’s setting, at the base of Mt. Baldy, provides a wonderful sense of place. Current

public pedestrian places in the Village include: City Hall Plaza, The Village West Plaza, and

The Old Depot. The top of the Parking Structure is a surprisingly wonderful elevated place ac-

cessible to pedestrians by elevator. From here you have views over Claremont’s Urban Forest

and a sense of the surrounding valley in which we live. Implementing the Eco-Village Concept could result in making many more attractive pedestrian

places, for both Claremonters and our visitors to enjoy. There could be small elevated urban

parks at the Goldline and Metrolink Stations, accessible from both the sides of the tracks, weav-

ing the Eco-Village together—North and South. There could be small parks on bridges over

both Indian and College Avenue, weaving the Eco-Village together—East and West. Each of

the pedestrian urban spaces would have wonderful views over the Village and, with cleaner air,

views of the mountains beyond. These raised places can also provide interesting vantage points

to watch the trains go by. And, there could be a new Gateway to Pomona College, providing

access for people coming by public transit from LA or (eventually) Ontario International Air-

port.

Support the Eco-Village Campaign

Help Claremont pick the best option for developing our Village. The Eco-Village Concept pro-vides many more benefits for the future of Claremont than elevating the Gold Line.

Send an email with the title “Support the Eco-Village” to:

[email protected].

Include your vision of the Claremont Eco-Village in the email and also share it with friends.

Let’s develop a shared vision of what the Claremont Eco-Village could become.

By participating in our advocacy group, you will be informed about the development of the Claremont Eco-Village Concept.

Write Letters

Claremont is facing a worrisome proposal, from the Goldline, to run a raised rail through the

Claremont Village. Our City Council is entertaining these ideas without looking at better op-

tions. Please a campaign for the Claremont Eco-Village Concept that would sustain and en-

hance our quality of life in Claremont.

Consider these options: Eco-Village, or Raised Rail.

Talk to your friends and write letters asking the City to adopt an Eco-Village Concept, rather

than a Raised Rail.

Here are 4 strong points to consider and include in your letter:

1. Claremont should protect the award-winning quality-of-life that residents greatly cherish.

The Eco-Village Concept can enhance Claremont’s sense of place.

The Raised Rail Concept will destroy it. It will also cost more.

2. Claremont should create an environment that is healthier for people and for the planet.

Walking, biking, and riding public transit provide exercise while reducing our carbon

footprint. This is also more affordable.

3. The Eco-Village Concept would enhance mobility—pedestrian, bike, public transit

and motor vehicles—in Claremont. The Raised Rail concept endeavors only to

accommodate vehicles travelling through Claremont.

Please work with the digital and print media and get your letter out to as many friends, contacts

and public interest groups as you can reach. Share your letter on Facebook with Friends, Write

letters to the Editor of the Claremont Courier, the Bulletin, and LA Times. Work with Sustain-

able Claremont, Claremont Heritage, the Claremont Chamber of Commerce, Pilgrim Place, and

the Claremont Colleges to promote the Claremont Eco-Village Concept.

Claremont needs your participation in addressing this important issue.

Documents

Claremont Eco-Village Concepts