Is the Space 134 project happening for sure?

Not at this time; we are merely gauging community support for the project. We want to find out if a cap park over the 134 freeway is something you are interested in exploring or not. We also want to get an idea of what types of programming you would like to see at the park if it were to become a reality. If in the future, we do discover that the community is largely in support of the project, we will delve into the project in more detail.

Why doesn’t the City buy land in Glendale to make more parks everywhere?

Acquiring land for public purposes in Central Glendale is increasingly expensive and in many cases cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, we recognize the need for open space in the Downtown area. Space 134 presents an innovative solution to this need. Building a freeway cap park may give us access to Metro, State and Federal transportation funding that would otherwise not be available for the creation of open space in other parts of the City.

What about building affordable housing or senior housing instead?

Identifying opportunities to build affordable housing in Glendale continues to be a priority for the City. By the end of September 2015, we will be adding 44 new affordable housing units in the City. 129-159 additional new affordable units are in various stages of development and are expected to be completed within the next year to 5 years. Funding for affordable housing would not be diverted to fund Space 134.

Will this project close the freeway permanently?

No. A freeway cap park consists of the placement of a “lid” or “cap” over the freeway. Traffic would continue to travel under the cap and the park would be constructed on top of the cap.

Will this project shut down or block City streets?

No. The project is not expected to result in street closures.

Will parking be provided at Space 134?

Following the example of Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas (built with no dedicated parking), the Downtown Glendale portion of Space 134 is directly adjacent to publicly-accessible structures with ample parking, reducing the need to construct dedicated parking in that section of Space 134. However, it is acknowledged that as the design concept for Space 134 moves forward, we will consider parking in the design to prevent spillover into adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Are cap park users exposed to car exhaust from the freeway?

Air quality has been a concern for citizens wherever freeway cap parks have been proposed and built. Technology has been developed and implemented in existing cap parks which address these concerns. If and when the time comes to develop more specific plans for the Space 134 project, we will explore those technologies and any new possible ventilation solutions to determine which would best fit our proposed project.

Can cap parks withstand earthquakes?

Yes. A cap park in Southern California would have to be engineered with the most cutting edge earthquake technology. This will be examined thoroughly in the future if the project gains community support.

How large are most freeway cap parks?

There is no standard size for a cap park. Existing cap parks range in length and size. Some are less than one city block in length (under approximately 4 acres), while others are up to a half mile long and several acres in size.

Will the freeway be shut down during construction?

There is a possibility that the freeway would be shut down during construction. If that were to happen, it would be our goal to minimize the impact on traffic by limiting the number of closures and scheduling closures during non-peak traffic hours. As an example, in the construction of Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation only allowed 20 highway closings for the entire project duration, mostly on nights and weekends.

When will construction begin on Space 134?

Currently, Space 134 is only a proposed concept. If the community supports it, we would have to identify funding availability before establishing a timeline.

How long would it take to build Space 134? Would it be built all at once?

We are currently proposing a phased approach for the construction of Space 134. Construction of Phase 1 may take approximately two years and the final long-term phase may take 20 years or longer.

Who is paying for Space 134?

The current planning and outreach stage of the project is being funded by a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Should the project gain community support, the City will seek Metro, State and Federal transportation funding for future studies and ultimately construction.

Will my taxes go up to pay for the park?

Not necessarily. Glendale citizens may choose to self-impose an assessment which would allow them to contribute in a one-time or ongoing basis to pay for the park, but such assessment will require voter approval.

GENERAL PARK DESIGN & OPERATIONS

PARK CONSTRUCTION PARK FUNDING

BUILDING A CAP PARKW W W. S PA C E 1 3 4 . O R G

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS