Expo Line Station at old Sears; image via SMDP
Santa Monica leaders continue to knock around ideas on how to best implement their six years-in-the-making Land Use and Circulation Element, which guides planning and transportation policy for the city. The Santa Monica Mirror reports that the latest planning session took place on Wednesday and that all city departments "gave input in 'excruciating detail' to the LUCE review."
Of utmost concern was the city's three future Expo Line stations, and the downtown Santa Monica terminus at Fourth and Colorado probably holds the most possibility as it's planned as the centerpiece of an area revamp. The downtown station (pictured) will likely get an outdoor plaza and an esplanade that allows easy pedestrian connection to Ocean Avenue, while Colorado Boulevard will likely get wider sidewalks and new landscaping. There's also all the work being planned at the nearby Civic Center, with the Garden Walk and Town Square, and the proposed freeway cap. The LUCE discussions last week discussed the circulation possibilities at the stations and getting people to destinations when they step off the platforms, as well as accommodating the thousands of bikes that will descend on the city. "So far there are still no bike paths at the train stations where riders do not have to walk their bikes through the platforms," according to the story. "Staff assured the commission that such plans are still in the works."
· Planning Gets Detailed on LUCE [SM Mirror]
· First Field Operations Concepts Out for Santa Monica Parks [Curbed LA]
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