Drop in the bucket?

Maybe it just seems hopeless. L.A. traffic officials are at work on several major projects designed to "build new capacity" on city streets. The projects come just as work is winding down on the biggest of the efforts: The widening of Santa Monica Boulevard between Westwood and Beverly Hills (Little Santa Monica, RIP). Here's some highlights:

Sepulveda Boulevard between Mulholland Drive and Wilshire Boulevard
This $11 million project will widen intersections and provide for a reversible lane in the Mulholland tunnel.

Commercial Street Widening between Alameda Street and Center Street
This project is combined with US-101 Realignment Project in the Downtown area. (Under construction and will be completed in 2007).

Valley Boulevard Grade Separation near Eastern Avenue
This $35.7 million project is currently under design. The construction of a grade separation to elevate Valley Blvd. between Marianna and Eastern Avenues will begin in 2006.

National Boulevard Widening between Sawtelle Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard
This project, combined with I-405 HOV Lane between I-10 and SR-90, is now in construction and will be completed in 2007.

By the way, does the "new" Santa Monica Boulevard look at all like the artist rendering above?

Comments

[movielocke]

no, santa monica doesn't look like that but it's a pleasure to drive now that it's done, you can't say that about any other surface street in LA. I'm anxiously awaiting the completion of construction between the 90 and the 10, that's a nasty bottleneck every morning and night, even though a busy construction week sees two days when construction workers are doing something or even present. (and I've driven past late at night too, nothing happening, though I'm sure the city pays for all the days 'worked'). Most of the week equipment sits idle and workers are nowhere to be seen, which is nice because traffic moves slightly faster without construction workers to rubberneck at.