Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway

The Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway is a great way to travel throughout the Pico Neighborhood on bike or on foot. Providing a direct connection to Samohi and developed through a robust public outreach process, the Greenway is being built in phases. The first phase included the construction of four landscaped traffic circles between 9th and Euclid Streets to green the neighborhood and slow automobile traffic, enhanced pedestrian crossings, and branding signage along the corridor. The second phase included curb extensions and a raised crosswalk on the streets around the Edison Language Academy. Ultimately, the project will construct a three-mile Greenway between the Bergamot Arts Center and the beach that provides a safe and comfortable place for neighbors of all ages to walk, bike, recreate, and interact with one another. Planning efforts for the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway were generously funded by a Caltrans Environmental Justice Grant.

Implementation

Winter 2017

Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway Project Phase II - Implemented 

Coupled with improvements at Edison Language Academy Safe Routes to School Project, the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo) improvements will aid students in walking and biking to and from the Edison Language Academy and improves the safety, comfort and accessibility of bicycling within the Pico neighborhood. Phase II of the project starts along 30th Street at Ocean Park Boulevard and connects west to Michigan Avenue through neighborhood streets. The project addresses four community goals:

1. Manage Traffic Speeds

2. Encourage Neighborhood Walking, biking and mobility

3. Create safe community space for all ages

4. Enhance greening and sustainable features.

The project design refinement process began by investigating improvements at the five project locations. The following three design elements were considered at these locations:

• Curb Extensions (i.e.  bulb-outs): Bulb-outs are areas where the curb is extended into the roadway at crossings. Bulb-outs improve the pedestrian experience by shortening crossing distances, increasing pedestrian visibility, slowing turning vehicles, and visibly narrowing the roadway to discourage high-speed traffic.
• Traffic Circle: A neighborhood traffic circle is a round central island around which vehicular and bicycle traffic circulates. Traffic circles reduce intersection conflicts and excessive vehicle speeds. Traffic circles can help to shorten the sight lines for drivers, focusing their vision on the current block on which they are traveling, increasing awareness of others on the road like pedestrians.
• Median Refuge/Diverter: A median refuge/diverter is an island built in a street intersection which allows for two-stage crossing of a busy street by cyclists and pedestrians.  It permits those crossing the street to negotiate one direction of traffic at a time, thereby making it easier to cross.

 The plans below are the refined design concepts for the five improvement areas:

1. Pico Boulevard & 30th Street (Withdrawn pending further public review)
2. Stewart Street & Kansas Avenue (Updated February 22, 2017)
3. Kansas Avenue & 27th Street
4. Kansas Avenue Mid-Block
5. Delaware Avenue & 22nd Street (Updated February 22, 2017)

Tue Feb 28, 2017

City Council Meeting

City Council considers proposed changes at four of the five project locations. The Pico Boulevard/30th Street/Dorchester Avenue intersection is being withheld until further consultation with the resident and business community.

Staff Report

Mon Jan 09, 2017

Community Open House at High Place

Community Open House held at High Place, Community Corp of Santa Monica. Since this Community Open House, we have decided to provide more opportunities to engage residents and businesses regarding the changes proposed at the Pico Boulevard/30th Street/Dorchester Avenue intersection.

Tue Nov 22, 2016

City Council Meeting

City Council approves contract amendment to investigate adding a traffic circle at 22nd and Delaware Avenue.

Staff Report

Wed Nov 16, 2016

Open House at Virginia Avenue Park

Held a Community Open house at Virginia Avenue Park

Sat Oct 01, 2016

Virginia Avenue Park Fall Festival

Join us at the Fall Festival on October 1,2016 to learn more and share your ideas. The festival will take place at Virginia Avenue Park (2200 Virginia Ave) from 3-7 PM.

Tue Apr 12, 2016

City Council Meeting

City Council approves design contract

Staff Report

Sat May 30, 2015

Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway Project Phase I - Unveiled

Residents celebrated the completion of Phase I of the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway Project (MANGo) on Saturday, May 30. The ceremony included a few words from Mayor Kevin McKeown, speeches by local residents and music by the Santa Monica Symphony Brass Quintet. In addition to celebrating the landscape circles, the event celebrated the rich cultural history of the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood.

MANGo Ribbon Cutting Flyer

Tue Jan 27, 2015

Council Approves 1st Phase of MANGo Implementation

The City Council approved construction of the Michigan Avenue Traffic Circles Project, consisting of the installation of four traffic circles and related street and intersection improvements along Michigan Avenue.

Staff Report

Tue Mar 25, 2014

Final Concept Plan Released

The City Council unanimously approved the MANGo Concept Plan on February 11, 2014. The attached is the Final Concept Plan which incorporates both changes requested by the City Council: 1. Establish a long-term goal of 1,500 or fewer daily automobile trips on MANGo, and 2. Obtain City Council approval prior to installation of a traffic diverter.

MANGo Final Concept Plan

Tue Feb 11, 2014

City Council Hearing

Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Approve the conceptual design of the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway; 2. Direct staff to pursue opportunities for priority and phased implementation through grants, community benefits, and capital projects.

Tue Jan 07, 2014

MANGo Concept Design Review

More than 60 participants attended a community meeting at Virginia Avenue Park to hear the results of the process over the past year.

Mon Dec 09, 2013

MANGo project update at Virginia Avenue Park (7pm to 8:30 pm)

Staff made a presentation to the 41 community members in attendance about the results from the Pop-Up MANGo community festival. Community members shared the results of surveys they conducted and a Q+A session was held.

Sat Sep 21, 2013

Pop-Up MANGo: Temporary Greenway Installation and Community Festival (Workshop #2)

On September 21, 2013, 400+ community members attended Pop-Up MANGo, the 2nd interactive community workshop to define and plan the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway. At the event, participants viewed and interacted with temporary installations of potential elements of the project. These included a neighborhood traffic circle and a mini-park. Additionally, food trucks, music, and a children’s art workshop were a part of this exciting event. Community organizations were also present, including Santa Monica Spoke, SantaMonicaWalks!, Meals on Wheels West, and the Santa Monica Police Department.

Wed Aug 28, 2013

Planning Commission Meeting

Presentation about the project to the Planning Commission. Click the video link below to watch the presentation, which begins at 10 minutes, 30 seconds.

Sat Mar 16, 2013

Workshop #1

Fifty-four community members attended the kick-off workshop for Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway. Thanks to everyone who came out and gave us their input! There was a great turnout and a lot of feedback about how the community would like to see the corridor transformed and/or preserved. At the meeting, a short presentation about the project was followed by four walking and biking tours of the neighborhood. Each tour made several stops along the proposed Greenway and attendees provided comment on aspects of the street, sidewalk, lighting, landscaping, vehicle behavior, and crossings.

Thu Dec 06, 2012

Bike Tour of the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway Project Area