Work to begin on Broadway beautification
A beautification project along a portion of Broadway Street is scheduled to begin March 4.
Golden State Constructors, the city of Laguna Beach’s contractor, will close lanes between Forest Avenue and Cliff Drive for the work, which includes adding drought-tolerant and native landscaping, three public-art installations and a new decorative sidewalk. Crews will work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Two-lane traffic will be maintained at all times.
The intersection at Cliff Drive will also be reconfigured to reduce the speed of cars turning onto the street and shorten the length of the pedestrian crosswalk. Access to Acacia Drive and Cliff Drive from Broadway will be occasionally restricted during work hours.
The art installations will include a series of three benches placed near the bus depot; a 10-foot bronze sculpture slated to stand in the median of Cliff Drive and Broadway; and a railing titled “Colors of the Canyon,” made of stainless steel and glass, said Mark Trestik, assistant city engineer.
The benches, designed by Jorg Dubin, resemble ones already in the area incorporating wood and rockscape, Trestik said.
Cheryl Ekstrom and Marsh Scott designed the sculpture and railing, respectively.
Artists were selected from an open competition conducted by the Arts Commission, Trestik said.
The estimated project cost is $650,000, Trestik said. The work is being funded by the city and a federal transportation enhancement grant, worth $480,000, he added.
The project is a part of an ongoing effort to beautify the entrance into downtown Laguna Beach from Laguna Canyon Road, said Steve May, the city’s public works director.
Twitter: @AldertonBryce