The City of Pico Rivera continues to move forward with plans to build a downtown hub off of Metro's Eastside extension of the E Line.

On September 25, the environmental review period began for the new Washington and Rosemead Boulevards Transit-Oriented Development Specific Plan, which would rezone approximately 327 acres of land surrounding the intersection of the same name, where Pico Rivera's future Metro rail stop is planned. That area, which would span west to the banks of the Rio Hondo, is mostly developed with large warehouses and shopping complexes, as well as surface parking.

According to a notice of preparation circulated by the City of Pico Rivera, the specific plan area is expected to accommodate a maximum buildout of more than 1.7 million square feet of new mixed-use commercial development and approximately 31,000 square feet of mixed-use residential development. The total amount of residential development would not appear to encompass the site of The Mercury, a proposed mixed-use development with 255 apartments which has already been approved for a site at 8825 Washington Boulevard.

In addition to development, the specific plan would also set new standards for mobility and public realm improvements, including the inclusion of multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, upgrades to sidewalks, and other street standards.

The specific plan, which has been funded in part by a Metro grant, is a component of a broader initiative called Pico Rivera 2035 which looks to position the city as a regional transportation and commercial hub. The overall proposal would include new zoning rules for more than 1,000 acres of land, and also calls for the creation of a new bus rapid transit line along the Rosemead and Lakewood Boulevard corridor, as well as an infill Metrolink stop on the Orange County Line. Pending the availability of funding, and cooperation from other jurisdictions, those transportation projects could open between 2029 and 2032.

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