California Ave Street Reconstruction

The City of Santa Monica is committed to maintaining safe and functional streetscapes, and we are pleased to announce an upcoming roadway construction project along California Avenue from Ocean Avenue to 7th Street, total six City blocks long. This project will focus on addressing roadway paving issues caused by root intrusion from median trees, improving drainage, and supporting tree health, ensuring California Avenue remains a safe and accessible street for everyone while maintaining streetscape aesthetics. In addition to the work on California Avenue the City would improve existing drainage in the area by installing drainage improvement along 4th St and 5th between Idaho Ave and California Ave and on California Ave between 5th St and 4th St, as shown in Exhibit 1.  

The need for these improvements arises from concerns over root growth from mature median trees, specifically the eucalyptus trees, which have caused asphalt buckling and created potential hazards for bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicles. In addition, ongoing drainage issues at the 4th and 5th Street intersections have led to frequent flooding during rain events. This project will significantly improve roadway safety and reduce flooding risks while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the streetscape. 

The City has hired a consultant team consisting of an engineering firm and certified arborist to develop final design and improvement plans along California Avenue to address these infrastructure issues, especially the tree issues. In 2024, the project team met with the City’s Urban Forest Task Force on two separate occasions to obtain input for the future of the trees in the median. Based on the feedback and approval from the City’s Urban Forest Task Force members, the project will involve removing nineteen (19) of the forty (40) existing eucalyptus trees during the project, replacing them with three(3) different tree species better suited to the median's geometrics. The remaining trees will be reduced in size through pruning but preserved until the new trees have time to establish. The long term plan is to replace all forty (40) existing median trees on California Avenue between 2nd and 7th Streets. Replacement trees will provide a variety of species that align with the updated Urban Forest Master Plan including: sixteen (16) Silk-Floss trees, sixteen (16) Arbutus Marina, and thirteen (13) Chinese flame trees. Overall, this streetscape project will enhance the urban forest through increasing species diversity and improve safety for roadway users by using species more suited to growing these medians.  

The project is tentatively scheduled to begin in the Summer of 2025 with the removal of nineteen (19) median eucalyptus trees and the construction of a new storm drain system to address existing drainage issues. The project is anticipated to be completed around the Summer of 2026. We are committed to keeping the community informed and engaged throughout the project and will provide additional details as the start date approaches.  

Regular updates will be available on the City’s website, along with comprehensive background information and project milestones. Updates will be shared through the City’s website, providing detailed project milestones and background information, as well as through coverage in the Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP). Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to enhance the safety and functionality of California Avenue for all community members. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to our Public Works Department.