Montebello · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Montebello public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Street repaving and rehabilitation projects
Consent items put $640,000 of SB1 gas-tax money into rubberized asphalt street resurfacing and $287,354 into emergency-vehicle signal preemption (Opticom GPS).
Whittier Boulevard paving project
The main Paving the Way project will resurface Whittier Boulevard end to end, starting around November and finishing by June 2027, with outreach to businesses to keep access open during construction.
Preferential Parking on W. Victoria Avenue
Residents of W. Victoria Avenue say overflow parking from nearby apartments, Wilcox Elementary, and a gym leaves them unable to park at home, with trash, vandalism, and hit-and-runs in the mix. The commission recommended a permit-parking district; the City Council makes the final call.
Capital improvement projects for 2026-27
A resident found a nearly $2.5 million gap between two funding tables in the carryover budget item. The council continued the item to reconcile the numbers before approving.
Bus Stop Improvement Project cancelled over $9.6M deficit
The citywide bus stop upgrade project — new shelters, benches, ADA improvements at up to 100 stops — was cancelled because the construction estimate hit $12.3 million against a $2.7 million budget. Staff plans a peer review of the numbers and will hunt for grants before bringing back a reworked version. Nothing gets built for now.
Montebello Bus Lines Fleet Modernization and Wayfinding
The council accepted $2.3 million in federal grants for bus tire leases and preventive maintenance, and moved to apply for a hydrogen fueling infrastructure grant. This keeps Montebello Bus Lines running and moving toward cleaner fuel.
2026 Speed Limit Survey
The council adopted a new engineering and traffic speed survey covering ten street segments, keeping local speed limits legally enforceable by state law.
Railroad Crossing Blockages
A longtime resident again demanded action on freight trains blocking the Vale, Maple, and Greenwood crossings for up to hours at a time, saying the city has never followed up on his complaints.
Montebello Boulevard Center Divider Impacts on Businesses
Business owners say the new center divider is killing business — no left turns, red-painted curbs, and multiple crashes in a month. They want it ripped out or fixed.
Whittier Boulevard pedestrian crossing safety
Eleven uncontrolled crossings on one of the city's busiest corridors were studied. Seven dangerous ones will be removed, new signals will go in at 18th Street and Greenwood, and a flashing beacon will be installed at Third Street.
Olympic Boulevard Complete Streets Project
A big redesign of Olympic from Ford Street toward Garfield: bike lanes, bulb-outs, sidewalks, and lit crosswalks — largely paid for with state and federal safety grants.
Montebello Boulevard Center Divider and Business Access
A business owner says the center divider installed during construction has cut her business by more than 50%, forced fire trucks to drive on the wrong side of the street nine times in three weeks, and caused crashes near the March exit. She's asking the council to remove a 20-25 foot section.
Eastside Light Rail Extension comes to Montebello
Metro's nine-mile rail extension will include a Montebello station at Greenwood and Washington, with service targeted for 2035-2037. The city faces a 3% local match of an unknown amount, and residents can comment on the environmental document through June 26.
Alley parking enforcement on Maple Avenue
Several residents and a property owner asked the city to revisit new parking citations along the alley behind Maple Avenue apartment buildings, where people have parked in front of their garages for decades and now compete for scarce street parking.
Montebello Bus Lines Short Range Transit Plan
The three-year transit plan keeps Montebello Bus Lines eligible for state and federal funding and covers hydrogen buses, a bus stop overhaul, and a possible mobility hub on Montebello Boulevard.
Citywide ADA sidewalk enhancements
A $1.23 million contract will fix sidewalks across part of the city this year, prioritizing streets with the most injury claims to reduce trip hazards and litigation risk.