This past Sunday, MNS Engineers celebrated with the City of Santa Monica, locals, and visitors, with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Colorado Esplanade, kicking off the City’s first annual open streets event, COAST.
The new Esplanade runs from 4th Street to Ocean Avenue, connecting the Downtown Santa Monica Expo station, Tongva Park, and the Santa Monica Pier, with a seamless, 25-foot-wide paved walkway and buffered bike lane from the station to the beach, creating a welcoming and safe route for pedestrians and cyclists. The paved walkway features unique yellow and black wave-shaped pavers and poles with string lights that cover the walkway, creating a welcoming public gathering space.
The project used unique finishes and materials, including wood decking, the pavers, string lighting, artistic embedded compasses, and colorful landscaping to create an inviting atmosphere.
The sidewalk along the south side of Colorado Avenue doubled in width. The eastbound traffic lanes were closed permanently, and Main Street was realigned to connect with 2nd Street. New traffic signals offer distinct signals for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and fresh striping and paving at the intersections promote safer crossings. The bike path, going in both directions, is separated from vehicle traffic by a buffer.
This event launched the City’s integrated marketing campaign, #GoSaMo, to excite, educate, and encourage those who live and work in the city to try new mobility options. This was a significant moment for the City’s future as a sustainable, transit-oriented community focused on wellbeing. MNS Engineers provided construction management services for the Colorado Esplanade project.
Check out this video recap from the local news:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlxB_HcQtuw&feature=youtu.be
MNS Engineers, Inc., is a multi-service infrastructure consulting firm, specializing in construction management, civil engineering, and land surveying services. The company has served the transportation, water resources, government services, and federal markets since 1962, and prides itself on making a positive difference to California communities every day.