The city council is set to determine the fate of Walk On Wilshire on Tuesday, January 21, with a session at 5:30pm at Fullerton City Hall,  303 W.  Commonwealth Ave. The recommendation is to either accept a proposed motion to permanently close W. Wilshire from Harbor to Malden to vehicular traffic, thereby expanding Walk on Wilshire – or to open the entire street to traffic by February 2025.

Despite overwhelming public support to keep the 200-foot portion of W. Wilshire car-free, that option is not one being considered. 

Back-up documents available on the city website [https://fullerton.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx] under Meeting & Agendas include an evaluation done for the city by Linscott, Law & Greenspan engineers. The evaluation covered the council majority’s suggestion to extend the 200-foot Walk on Wilshire to Malden as an alternative to leaving it as is or re-opening the street to traffic.

Below is the proposed resolution being considered at Tuesday’s Jan  21st Council meeting:

RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING CLOSURE OF WILSHIRE AVENUE TO VEHICLUAR TRAFFIC, EXCLUDING BICYCLES, FROM MALDEN AVENUE TO HARBOR BOULEVARD
WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code, Division 11, Chapter 1, Article 3, Section 21101(a), authorizes local authorities to close any highway to vehicular traffic when the legislative body determines the highway is no longer needed for vehicular traffic.
WHEREAS, City Council directed staff to assess the feasibility of permanently closing Wilshire Avenue from Malden Avenue to Harbor Boulevard to expand and enhance the Walk-on-Wilshire Program, which temporarily closed a 200-foot segment west of Harbor Boulevard to create outdoor dining and community space.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Fullerton has considered and reviewed its impacts, including feedback from stakeholders, businesses and the community.
WHEREAS, City Council considered the operational challenges raised by some businesses and property owners, including concerns about visibility, parking access, refuse collection, and delivery logistics, and acknowledges that solutions to these challenges can be implemented alongside the closure; and
WHEREAS, City Council has reviewed the findings of traffic impact studies, which indicate that diverted traffic can be accommodated on adjacent streets and that the closure will not significantly impact the surrounding roadway network; and
WHEREAS, staff coordinated with various agencies to discuss any potential issues with emergency vehicle access, utility and infrastructure access/maintenance, and refuse collection; and
WHEREAS, City Council has determined that the identified segment of Wilshire Avenue is no longer needed for vehicular traffic and that its closure will provide long-term benefits to the community by fostering a pedestrian-friendly environment and supporting local businesses.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON FINDS, DETERMINES, AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Recitals set forth above are true and correct and set forth herein as findings as fact.
2. A rule is hereby adopted that a street can be closed to vehicle traffic by resolution if Council majority agree that adequate and satisfactory public notice and engagement, impact studies, and agency coordination was completed.
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Page 2
3. The City Council reviewed the feasibility assessment materials for closure of Wilshire Avenue between Malden Avenue to Harbor Boulevard and are of the opinion that based upon the facts and testimony presented the identified segment of Wilshire Avenue is no longer needed for vehicle traffic.
4. The City Manager or their designee is further directed to coordinate with affected businesses and property owners to mitigate operational impacts and to develop guidelines for ongoing use of the public space created by the closure.

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The “study” showed that expanding to Malden would eliminate 34 existing parking spaces and close two entrances to parking lots.  The evaluation also repeated information from a previous study completed in October/November 2024 by Transportation Studies Inc., which stated there were 543 to 604 cars, eight bicyclists on Wilshire, and 3,277 cars on Amerige between Harbor and Malden on the Friday observed. The evaluation noted that the vehicles traveling on those streets were looking for parking and access to the parking lots on both sides of Amerige and that the 543 to 604 traveling on Wilshire could be accommodated by Amerige and Whiting. 

The evaluation concluded that “the proposed Walk on Wilshire extension project will not significantly impact the existing surrounding roadway network – and access for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians to the area will be adequate.”

The backup materials include several proposals in response to the city’s request for information. 

Above: Rendering by Gensler of Walk on Wilshire expanded to Malden.

A proposal from MODSTREET of Durango, Colorado, which has created urban plazas and landscapes in Santa Cruz, Pacific Grove, and more, offers landscape architectural services for $28,598 to include conceptional designs for full and partial street closure.

 Gensler of Newport Beach, which includes employees from Fullerton, has created urban landscapes for Santa Ana and LA, among others. Its proposal included concept, renderings, feasibility, economic impact, workshops, and presentations and was estimated to cost $49,240.

Studio Meanwhile Developments of Vancouver specializes in public space designs that “transform urban environments into vibrant, people-centric destinations.” They take projects from feasibility, conceptual design, economic impact, strategic plan, renderings, presentations, and collaboration with city staff to implementation. Their proposal includes outdoor furniture, and the estimated cost came in at $245,000. 

Also on the agenda is a reorganization of volunteer citizen committees and commissions that help guide council members on various topics.
And an item to either award a $466,155 construction contract to the Aguilar & Calderon Corp. for engineered wood surfacing at Emery Park or take the Parks & Recreation Commission’s recommendation to reject all bids and look into a pour-in-place rubber playground surfacing.

Below: The area in red is the expansion to Malden  The area in green is the existing 200-foot Walk on Wilshire.

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