$4.3-Million Effort to Upgrade Blighted Street Completed
City officials gathered next to Ballona Creek Monday to celebrate the completion of a “street scape” project conceptualized nearly five years ago.
Construction of $4.3 million in improvements to Washington Boulevard between La Cienega and National boulevards began last May, said Margaret Liu, project manager for the city’s Redevelopment Agency.
In an effort to create a gateway to the city’s eastern end, large purple banners on 70-foot-high blue supports now welcome drivers and pedestrians traveling west on Washington near La Cienega.
Changes to the formerly nondescript three-quarter-mile stretch of roadway include the addition of medians planted with 173 flowering trees and six bus stop shelters. Encircling 62 palms are decorative “tree surrounds” emblazoned with the names, directors and stars of movies created in Culver City, from “Ben Hur” in 1926 to “Beetle Juice” in 1988.
“This was a really blighted, run-down area getting worse, and we knew we had to do something to save it and bring it up to Culver City standards,” said Councilman Mike Balkman.
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