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# Q Line asks whether driving downtown is easier after transit mall construction
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/070902-story/
- Published: 2002-07-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:28:04.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Downtown, #archive-import

During the construction of Santa Monica’s $15 million transit mall, driving downtown could be a tricky endeavor. No turn signs combined with closed lanes made for some of the worst congestion the city has seen.

The situation seemed at times almost ironic, since the new transit mall is intended to better integrate mass-transit and “streamline” traffic snarls.

Two weeks ago, the city celebrated the end of the construction and the beginning of its new downtown. However, with summer fully upon us, the new traffic system is being put to the test for the first time.

This week Q Line wants to know: “Now that construction is complete, is driving downtown any easier? If not, what do you believe should be done to better alleviate congestion?”

Call (310) 285-8106 with your response before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less; it might help to think first about the wording of your response.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 9, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/070902.pdf?ref=smdp.com)