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# Brush up on classics
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/brush-up-on-classics/
- Published: 2006-04-14T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T17:34:36.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless

If first impressions are everything, then downtown Santa Monica is in big trouble as a tourist and shopping destination. Judging from the conditions of the “passageway” to the Third Street Promenade from parking structures between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard, one would think we were in the middle of the ghetto.

Officials from the Bayside District Corp., which manages the downtown area, must be up in arms with the appearance of the “passageway” adjacent to Borders Books. The bright yellow paint on its floor is wearing thin, exposing the dirty concrete beneath. Garbage, including rotten food, is constantly strewn along the path. Graffiti on the walls has been in place for weeks. The dumpster directly next to the tunnel, at the alley’s edge behind the Promenade, is consistently overflowing and smelling of urine.

Borders Books is responsible for the upkeep of that area, according to Bayside officials. Put the books down, people, and have some pride. Clean up your corporate act. Transit mall a lemon Finally, city leaders have publicly acknowledged that the Transit Mall turned out to be a failure, or at least not all that they envisioned. Call it a $15 million mistake since it is no more pedestrian friendly than when downtown streets were wider and didn’t have dedicated bus lanes. In fact, it has actually clogged traffic in some areas, especially on weekends, when cars are forced to sit in one lane of traffic.

Apparently, some elected leaders have come to grips with that reality. When considering the same consulting firm responsible for the Transit Mall for another “pedestrian-oriented” redesign on Cloverfield Boulevard and 20th Street, two councilmembers — Ken Genser and Kevin McKeown — convinced their colleagues to put the contract on hold so they can consider a different company.

The City Council made the right decision on Tuesday by putting off a decision to hire Amphion Environmental Inc. to be the consultant in redesigning the areas along Cloverfield Boulevard and 20th Street, from Pico Boulevard to Interstate 10\. Improvements there will include wider streets, new sidewalks and more lighting in an area that is heavily traveled by pedestrians and vehicles.

The Transit Mall took a year to build and cost taxpayers $15 million when it was “unveiled” in 2002\. The project — which encompasses a six-square-block area bounded by Ocean Avenue, Broadway, Seventh Street and Santa Monica Boulevard — created dedicated lanes for the Big Blue Bus in hopes that it would be convenient for workers, visitors and shoppers who take the bus around Santa Monica.

We agree with councilmembers that the Transit Mall does little to serve pedestrians and the concrete job was poorly done, as they pointed out on Tuesday. We would go further by saying that many of the improvements meant to encourage more people to walk, bike or take the bus downtown have failed.

In fact, the mall has created deadly scenarios for bicyclists who could easily be struck if they even attempt to ride their bikes downtown. There is nowhere for bicyclists to go — the designers of the Transit Mall failed to create dedicated bicycle lanes, forcing bicyclists into the bus lane because riding on the sidewalk is illegal. So the result is bus drivers — who only drive faster now that they have their own lane — tail dangerously close to bicyclists who dare to ride in the “bus only” lane. And it’s not uncommon for bus drivers to pass bicyclists in the lane.

The Transit Mall was more of an attempt at revitalizing the area than an effective traffic solution. Parisian-inspired benches, bronzed origami figures, art tiles and granite map tiles in the new sidewalks, and new bus shelters and arbors outfitted with art glass don’t improve traffic or the pedestrian experience. But the homeless sure like them.

The City Council needs to proceed with caution when “redesigning” the Cloverfield Boulevard and 20th Street areas. This is one time when city leaders can learn from their mistakes.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 14, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/041406.pdf?ref=smdp.com)