Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, CA

2/7/09 Update
Janet Kim




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Some transportaion idea doodles:



I really loved the bicycle "renting" system mentioned in class and thought that the idea could be carried further with electric scooters. There would be different types of scooters, mainly divided into two groups; one type of scooters for average citizens and another more sedentary to accomodate the elderly or disabled. Bike lanes would have to be made to make room for these scooters and bicycles for those who own them, and the rental centers would be placed occasionally along foothill in the place of former empty lots. I believe that this system of borrowing free scooters can work because people will be drawn toward the absence of cost, and the concept of leaving scooters in designated scooter racks will allow people to access them any time they want.

Another manual mode of transportation other than a scooter or bike


simple walkways for pedestrians should be built over the road, since there are not enough crosswalks for people to cross the wide road. This can enforce safety on Foothill, as there have been numerous incidents where pedestrians have been hit by speeding cars at night. The walkways can be beautiful as well. For instance, the side barrier fences can add to the walkway a sculptural like quality that includes flora weaving in and out of it. perhaps they can serve as observation deck as well, complete with telescopes for viewing at only 50 cents per session.


The future of transportation seems to be deeply involved in electric cars. I envision that within 25 years these major gas stations will be pumping exclusively volts instead of fuel.









I documented several blocks of Foothill Blvd, a major street running through the City of Glendale sandwiched between the slightly smaller, more foliage covered suburban streets. This street is populated with places for dining out, beauty salons, music, art, and academic tutoring studios, real estate agencies, auto shops, gas stations, grocery stores, and tons of car dealerships. Despite the incredible amount of various open businesses lining the street, the sidewalks are oddly empty during the entire day to evening unless sprinkled with students walking home from school in the late afternoon. I noticed the how sprawling this major street was, absent of people and yawning with a large number of empty parking spaces and vacant lots. In addition to that there were many spots that were paved out for construction. I believe that much of these unused spaces can be utilized to their fullest potential to maximize the greenification of the town, as well as encourage the cultural interaction of its residents.

We can start simply just by planting more trees native to this area as well as assigning hybrid car privilege parking to the many lots that stay mostly empty. The road should be thinned down, which will leave extra space for outdoor spaces for eating and newly planted greenery, or just more leeway to roam around and savor open space as I find it strange that as free individuals we have so many limits and restrictions on our own movements, simply by means of dashes and lines that hold so much power over our natural maneuvering. Sidewalks would be covered in grass. Since the thinning of the road might put a clog in traffic, Foothill Blvd. might do well with its very own small solar powered cable car system that shuttles passengers back and forth just this very street. Another option is to create sublevel public parking structures if the operation of automobiles remains a must. Most of Foothill Blvd. is lined with architecture that require nothing more than flat roofing, perfect for green roof landscaping. This will furthermore improve the quality of air as well as aesthetically boost the rather drab appearance of the entire street, and allow it to become a more welcoming environment for thriving culture.

As for empty spots available for construction such as the large spot just before Ramsdell (a street perpendicular to Foothill, leading down to the city’s public high school), a bookstore should be built instead of a new condo or another plaza for fast food. Walking around Foothill Blvd, I saw that there were none of these around to accomplice the many small afterschool education centers open in the area. I envision that it would be a small bookstore, but large enough to house a sufficient collection of books. Much of the area would also be an outdoor patio where students would be encouraged to hang out or study with a cup of coffee or tea (discounts for those who bring their own cups). The two story bookstore would be built and furnished elegantly with entirely sustainable materials, lit mostly by natural light filtered through large windows during the day and by low energy light bulbs by night. Such an interactive yet breathable space will also promote the development of healthy culture as well as encourage life outside of a computer or television screen.