- The City-wide visioning and neighborhood planning for the Santa Monica Boulevard Reconstruction Project dates back to September 1997?
- The Santa Monica Boulevard Advisory Steering Committee is a group of 41 persons appointed by the City Council to work with City staff and the design team to make specific recommendations to the Council on the streetscape, layout, design elements and project priorities? Actual construction began in September 1999.
- The City now owns Santa Monica Boulevard? Until February 1999, the Boulevard had been owned and operated by Caltrans as State Route 2. This ownership by the City allows a unique opportunity to reinforce Santa Monica Boulevard as West Hollywood's "Main Street.
- Construction crews removed over 15,000 feet of railroad tracks from beneath the old Santa Monica Boulevard road way? These tracks rested on over 5,000 rotted and decaying wooden ties that were also removed because they had caused significant damage to the old roadbed.
- During construction of a major piece of the Holly Hills Storm Drain around the San Vicente/Santa Monica intersection in the initial phases of construction that crews actually dug trenches that were over 30 feet deep or the equivalent of 3 stories underground?
- 65,000 tons of traditional asphalt and another 15,000 tons of rubberized asphalt were used to repave Santa Monica Boulevard? The rubberized asphalt mix was made up of 45,000 recycled car tires.
- Almost 190,000 tons of construction debris including concrete, rock and greenwaste was reused, recycled and/or diverted from landfills?
- Just over 6 miles of new sidewalk and 8.5 miles of new curb and gutter was laid as part of Santa Monica Boulevard Reconstruction?
- The curb extension (bulb-out) design element is also a pedestrian safety feature? When at a crosswalk, a pedestrian is actually still standing on the sidewalk and does not have to step into the street to observe on-coming traffic. Because there is also a curb extension on the opposite of the street, it shortens the distance a pedestrian travels to cross the street.
- Almost 1,200 trees have been planted along Santa Monica Boulevard? These trees replaced 452 trees prior to construction. The City also reused most of the Queen Palm trees that were previously located in the old sidewalks. These Queen Palms now accentuate the new median island landscaping.
- The Evergreen Elm is Santa Monica Boulevard's new street tree? Over 850 have been planted in the 4 foot by 8 foot tree wells in the new sidewalks. They are designed to provide almost a year-round green canopy and to grow higher then store and business signage and marquees.
- Structural soil is the material the new street trees are planted in? It's a mixture of rock and dirt that enables air and water to reach the root system and allow the roots to spread out downward thus preventing the uplifting of the new sidewalks and encouraging healthy growth. Approximately 9,500 cubic yards of structural soil was placed under the sidewalks, adjacent to the tree wells.
- The new landscaped median is at its widest point between Almont Drive and Doheny Drive in the City's west side? This area creates a beautiful, naturally landscaped "gateway" into the City. It is also a necessary technical element in order to accommodate the roadway transition into Beverly Hills.
- The median in the west side was as wide as 42 feet prior to construction? In the new design the median has been reconfigured to allow for a bike lane and longer turning pockets and to widen the sidewalks for greater pedestrian and other outdoor activities.
- Anew bike lane, adjacent to the parking lane, runs from Kings Road west to Doheny Drive? It is designed to allow residents from adjacent neighborhoods to access the neighborhood-serving shops on Santa Monica Boulevard as well as a safe route for regional bicycle commuters.
- The traffic signals on Santa Monica Boulevard now "talk" to each other and to a traffic signal control center located in City Hall? Timing of the signal system is to be optimized to improve traffic flow and enhance safety.
- Prior to construction, there were 417 on-street parking spaces on the Boulevard? The finished Project will have 441 on-street parking spaces. That is a net increase of 24 parking spaces.
- Parking meters operate on Santa Monica Boulevard from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.? Meter times may be 20 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hour maximum depending on location. Please pay attention to the signage located directly on the meter posts.
- The Santa Monica Boulevard Project rehabilitated approximately 15,500 linear feet of deteriorated sewer lines that have been operating continuously since the 1920s? The sewer rehabilitation work has added another 50 years onto the life span of the sewer system.
