Eastern Avenue Multi-Modal Improvements Project

Los Angeles, California

Gruen Associates is the landscape architect and urban planner consultant on the Eastern Avenue Multi-modal Improvements Project located from Valley Boulevard to Huntington Boulevard in the neighborhood of El Sereno. In an effort to meet statewide environmental goals and incorporate Vision Zero goals, the City of Los Angeles is shifting to greener and cleaner multi-modal transportation. The Eastern Avenue project will focus on pedestrian and bicycle connections, as well as streetscape design and beautification along the corridor. These improvements will improve walkability and accessibility with features such as curb extensions, ADA curb ramps, crosswalk visibility improvements, and sidewalk repair and expansion. The project will also address transit needs and the addition of bike lanes along the corridor. New raised landscaped medians will help facilitate pedestrian crossings by providing an area that is physically separated from the automobile path of travel, reducing pedestrian crossing distances, and enabling pedestrians to focus on one direction of traffic at a time when crossing the street. These medians elements can help change the character of a street and reduce speeds. All the design improvements will work together to help implement the City’s goal of ‘complete streets’ and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.