City workers broke ground this week on the first of six pedestrian promenades, which will add trees and walkways to streets that see less vehicle traffic.
The first promenade will run for 11 blocks on 14th Street, from C Street to Commercial Street, essentially replacing a lane of roadway and a lane that had been used for parking with a landscaped path for pedestrians.
"Providing more mobility options and access to parks and green space helps us achieve our climate action goals and supports the economic vitality of this prominent neighborhood and our entire city," San Diego mayor Kevin L. Faulconer said in a news release issued on Tuesday.
City officials said the loss of street parking will be made up for by the creation of angled parking places in surrounding areas and and in a new 185-space underground parking garage planned in the East Village.
Other promenades are planned for:
- Eighth Avenue between Date and J streets
- Cedar Street between the Pacific Coast Highway and 10th Avenue
- E Street between 4th Avenue and 17th Street
- Island Avenue between Union and 18th streets
- Union Street between Date Street and Island Avenue
Construction kicked off this week on 14th Street between G and Market streets. In addition to the walkway and landscaping, lighting will be improved and industrial artifacts, donated by the family of late East Village pioneer Bob Sinclair, will be installed, as will historical images of the neighborhood.
The promenades will take a while to finish, though -- officials said they don't expect the work between F Street and Island to be complete until 2022, with construction on the 14th Street promenade between K and Commercial streets beginning after that.
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The first block of the 14th Street project is being paid for by developer fees and a SANDAG grant, with construction being supervised by Civic San Diego.
