Designed by John Kaliski Architects, in conjunction with Lawrence Moss & Associates, Landscape Architects, and Kimley-Horn & Associates, Civil Engineers, the Ocean Park Boulevard Complete Green Street recently broke ground on December 12, 2011. When completed in early 2013, it will be the longest complete green street in the City of Santa Monica, and one of the longest in Southern California. — bustler.net
7 Comments
given this is in Southern California I hope it is less a "green" street and more a xeriscape(d) street!
I assume that grass-looking surface on the bike lane is not actually grass... but what is it? Painted concrete would be pretty horrible for traction.
Paul,
We originally looked at grade-separated bike lanes but the high number of driveway curb cuts and short blocks pointed to the painted bike lanes in the street.
Painted bike lanes increase safety for bicyclists by visually separating them from traffic lanes. This is famously being done all over NYC. A texture-giving additive is inserted into the paint so that they don't turn into a slip-n-slide during a rain storm.
Nam, the landscape architects came up with a really interesting scheme for the plantings. As the street moves from the high-point at Lincoln Blvd to the ocean the plant selections mirror the topography and ecosystems of the LA Basin. The plant palette moves from the "mountains," to the "alluvial plain," "coastal," and finishes at the ocean. Of course everything complies with Santa Monica's low-water planting standards.
Thanks for the info mleitner! I'm a regular rider on the streets of LA, so anything that makes the streets safer and more bike-friendly is a great thing.
It's hard to tell, but the renderings make it appear like the bike lanes are slightly raised, with sloped edges. Is this accurate, or an effect of the rendering? If it's accurate, I would be concerned with how those edges might throw off a cyclists balance.
it will be really nice. this type of project changed the entire experience of weho on santa monica blvd., hybridizing the streets (parkreet?;.). great job m.
Thanks Orhan!
Paul, the paint does have a thickness to it so that it retains it's visibility over time. But it's not raised and it shouldn't be hazard to riders. It's all designer for the bikers' safety!
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