Creating a Sense of Place on Lincoln Boulevard

July 26, 2017 8:50 AM
by Peter James

Lincoln Boulevard is a stretch of road we all know well. It might be part of your daily commute or it’s the road you drove during your first road trip along California’s State Route 1. Whether your feelings about Lincoln are good or bad, the city is excited to announce that a stretch of the road is about to change for the better.

Santa Monica’s Lincoln Boulevard is getting a pedestrian friendly makeover. Beginning this summer, we will begin implementing a series of improvements to transform the busy commuter corridor into a more livable environment where pedestrians, transit, cars and bicycles can co-exist.

These improvements are part of the Lincoln Neighborhood Corridor Plan (LiNC)—a comprehensive framework for the overall enhancement of Lincoln Boulevard that weaves together physical design improvements to the streetscape with policies and programs that balance vehicle flow and demand. LiNC will create a livable street environment.

The project is supported by the local business community and nearby property owners. Some of our business improvement goals include a renewed focus on restaurants, cafes, markets and neighborhood services along the boulevard. These changes will help vehicle flow, support transit by utilizing a non-travel lane, enhance landscaping, and create more neighborhood character. The new bus-only lane will begin operating this August.

Please visit smgov.net/linc for more details and to read about the larger vision for the LiNC.

What's Coming with LiNC

LiNC changes will occur over a 1.25-mile stretch of Lincoln Boulevard, between Pico Boulevard and the Santa Monica city limits at Ozone Avenue. Here’s a look at improvements rolling out now through 2019:

August 2017

New trees will be planted and a busonly lane for Big Blue Bus’ Route 3 and Rapid 3 will be
implemented. Operating during peak commute hours from 7-9 a.m. (northbound) and 4-7 p.m. (southbound)
on weekdays only, the bus-only lane will improve bus and vehicle flow and save Big Blue Bus commuters travel time.

January 2018 – May 2019

New bicycle connections and amenities, as well as three new crosswalks at Grant, Pine and Wilson streets, will accompany several landscaped medians and curb extensions. In addition, several of Lincoln’s existing crosswalks at Olympic, Pearl, Hill and Ashland will get an overhaul to promote walkability and
pedestrian safety.

June 2019 and Beyond

Improvements will include significantly enhanced pedestrian lighting, additional drought-tolerant landscaping, and stormwater facilities to keep polluted water from entering Santa Monica Bay.

Authored By

Peter James
Chief Operations Officer