Median To Be Installed on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica

As part of the  City of Santa Monica’s implementation of the  Civic Center Specific Plan, a raised, landscaped median will be installed along Ocean Avenue beginning Jan. 21.

Construction will take approximately three to four weeks and there will be lane closures during that period.

The median will be installed from the intersection of the new Olympic Drive to Vicente Terrace and is a required safety enhancement of the Civic Center Village Residential Project Development, and a key part of the implementation of the 2005 Civic Center Specific Plan “to improve the walkability of the street and increase safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, according to the City.”

 Once the median is completed, left turns into and out of the streets and driveways along both sides of Ocean Avenue will no longer be possible. Access to the streets and driveways from northbound Ocean Avenue will be maintained via the new signal at Ocean Avenue and Olympic Drive. 

This new signal will provide a protected U-turn in the northbound direction, so that northbound traffic may turn southbound on Ocean Avenue to access streets and driveways on the west side of Ocean Avenue. Southbound traffic will be able to make a left turn or U-turn at the southern end of the median at Vicente Terrace in order to travel northbound on Ocean Avenue and access streets and driveways on the east side of Ocean Avenue.

Pedestrians will have two safe locations to cross Ocean Avenue. The first crosswalk will be located at 1740 Ocean Avenue, in front of the Le Merigot Hotel and the second at Ocean Avenue and Olympic Drive.