Council approves Central Avenue bicycle path project




FREEWHEELING—The Central Avenue bike path will connect existing Ventura County bike lanes that end at the city limits with the future Springville bike path from Central Avenue to Springville Drive. Courtesy of the City of Camarillo

FREEWHEELING—The Central Avenue bike path will connect existing Ventura County bike lanes that end at the city limits with the future Springville bike path from Central Avenue to Springville Drive. Courtesy of the City of Camarillo

Project completion is many years out, but Camarillo is gearing up to offer bicycling enthusiasts more options for getting around the county. Like most government projects, however, it will come at a cost.

The Central Avenue bike lane project, the city’s most recent effort to make Camarillo safer and more accessible for bicyclists, is expected to cost around $6 million.

City staff doesn’t expect construction to begin for nearly five years, but City Council members took the first step on the project with a 5-0 vote Sept. 28 to authorize spending just over $910,000 to hire engineering and environmental consultants to bring the project closer to reality.

The action was part of the night’s consent calendar vote, an agenda item that lists multiple smaller issues under a single vote and generally requires no discussion.

“The city is very excited about this project that will provide new bicycle facilities on the west end of the city,” Public Works Director Dave Klotzle said in an interview.

MORE ROOM TO RIDE—A cyclist rides past the area where a bike lane will be extended on Central Avenue. RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

MORE ROOM TO RIDE—A cyclist rides past the area where a bike lane will be extended on Central Avenue. RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

When the project is complete, new bike lanes, each about 1,700 feet long, will be constructed on both the northeast and southwest sides of Central Avenue, beginning near the 101 Freeway interchange and continuing northwest to the city limits.

The lanes will connect the existing unincorporated Ventura County bike lanes that end at the city limits with the future Springville bike path that will be built from Central Avenue to Springville Drive.

“When both projects are complete, we look forward to having . . . a continuous east-west bike route, connecting bicyclists from Oxnard through unincorporated Ventura County into the city of Camarillo,” Klotzle said.

The city will award a $544,000-agreement to engineering consultant Kimley-Horn and Associates for design services and a $366,000-agreement to environmental consultant Galvin Preservation Associates for environmental services.

Both companies have worked successfully with the city in the past and have experience completing similar projects, according to city staff’s report to the council.

Traffic mitigation fees, which the city charges developers whose projects increase traffic, will be used to pay for the two agreements.

In addition, the city is pursuing grant funding to help cover the total estimated $6 million project cost, Klotzle said.

Though the timeline is still being developed, he said, the city expects to begin construction in the summer of 2027.

Meanwhile, Camarillo cyclists are looking forward to the expansion.

Resident and cyclist Ken Tomimitsu told the Acorn he believes the project is a wonderful way to make the area more connected, especially for those who bike to school or work.

“Camarillo is going to grow, so bike lanes are forward-think- ing, and having a community of safe bike lanes is important,” he said. “This project is valuable.”