The American Public Works Association’s (APWA) Southern California Chapter once again recognized the city of Santa Clarita for its accomplishments, honoring the City with three prestigious Public Works awards in 2019. The City received the organization’s B.E.S.T. (Building Excellence, Shaping Tomorrow) awards for Give Me Green, the Copper Hill Park Restroom and Play Area, and the Orchard Village Median Rain Garden at the APWA Southern California Chapter’s annual awards ceremony in December.

Give Me Green received an award in the Creative & Innovative project category and is managed by the City’s Traffic division. Give Me Green is a free smartphone application developed in partnership with Sensys Networks that allows bicyclists to be detected as they approach an intersection. By integrating this technology into existing traffic signals and adding signage to inform drivers when cyclists are detected, the City has worked to improve safety, decrease congestion and improve the travel experience for cyclists and drivers.

The Copper Hill Park Restroom and Play Area was awarded in the Recreational & Athletic Facilities category and was a project undertaken by the City’s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) division. A new restroom building and play area were installed earlier in 2019, transforming the former grass-only Copper Hill Park and bringing much-needed amenities to the site for residents to enjoy. At the time of its annexation to the City, the park consisted of a turf area, parking lot and lighting. This project enhanced the park’s usability and fulfilled key components of its master plan, which was originally developed by Los Angeles County.

The Orchard Village Median Rain Garden earned an award in the Storm Water Quality category and is helping the city of Santa Clarita achieve its goals for water conservation, water quality improvements and beautification. The rain garden was installed by the City’s CIP division in the median on Orchard Village Road and includes a new state-of-the-art irrigation system and drought-tolerant landscaping. The rain garden in each of the three large medians treats all runoff through biofiltration, which allows for the removal of all pollutants.

The three awards continue the City’s tradition of receiving recognition for public works projects. In 2018, the City received awards from the APWA Southern California Chapter for its Electronic Blank-Out Signs, the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Widening project and the completion of the Heritage Trail from Gateway Ranch to Wildwood Canyon.

The APWA is a nonprofit, professional association of public works agencies, private companies and individuals working to promote professional excellence and public awareness of public works through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. The organization’s Southern California Chapter includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. To learn more about the Southern California Chapter, please visit southernca.apwa.net.

For more information about the city of Santa Clarita’s Public Works Department, please contact the City at (661) 259-2489.