Scary-Narrow Sidewalks on Santa Monica Pier Doubling in Size

Santa Monica is finally doing something about the inadequate sidewalks on the concrete deck connecting Ocean Avenue to the pier--the city council on Tuesday approved plans to more than double the current sidewalks from a little over four feet to a touch over nine feet, and to add a concrete barrier between the road and people, according to Santa Monica Patch. When completed, a family of four will be able to walk together without two people walking in the street and dodging cars crossing the deck to park (this happens all the time!). While Councilmember Bobby Shriver said the dangers between pedestrians and cars on the deck are overblown, many disagree--the city is discussing banning all cars from the pier and building a garage on a nearby lot (those plans are in limbo now because of budget concerns). As the entire deck is getting remodeled and retrofitted by 2016, the sidewalk stretching is just a nice interim fix.
· For Pedestrians' Safety, Wider Pier Sidewalks [Patch]