Plan to Overhaul Downtown Santa Monica Clears Panel
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A plan to turn downtown Santa Monica into a Third Street Promenade-like area has received approval from a committee of city and planning officials and is on its way to the City Council for final adoption next month.
The $17-million plan calls for widening streets between Lincoln and Ocean boulevards and Wilshire Boulevard and the Santa Monica Freeway, redirecting traffic on one-way streets and widening sidewalks.
The plan will allow restaurants to have cafe-style dining, provide space for pushcart vendors and kiosks, and give downtown streets a uniform appearance.
Councilman Paul Rosenstein said that if the council approves the project, construction would begin in early 1998. He said the city plans to use a $5-million federal transportation grant to build the first phase, which would include redirecting traffic and opening one-way streets to two-way traffic. The city still must secure funding to complete the remainder of the project.
“We’re looking at making improvements overall and making the downtown more accessible,” Rosenstein said.
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