The City is encouraging members of the community to get involved in the next phase of the “Connect Beverly Hills: Meet Me on Wilshire and La Cienega” project. Connect Beverly Hills was launched to help the City prepare for the upcoming Metro Purple Line Extension. Two new subway stations in Beverly Hills are part of that extension. The Wilshire/La Cienega station is set to open in 2023 and the Wilshire/Rodeo station is scheduled for a 2025 debut.
Due to the large increases in pedestrian traffic expected along those two corridors, the initiative is considering ways to make the streets more attractive and welcoming. The goal is to for subway riders to emerge from the underground stations, and immediately recognize their surroundings as Beverly Hills.
Amenities such as landscaping, lighting, public art, sidewalk furniture, bus shelters and more are all part of the mix.
Community outreach activities for Connect Beverly Hills have moved to an online platform, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since late May, the public has been invited to participate in virtual walking tours and collaborative events to share plans and feedback for both Wilshire and La Cienega Boulevards.
Thus far, participants have indicated support for features such as shade trees, more attractive trash bins, pedestrian-scale lighting, and colorful wayfinding signs near the new stations. Members of the community have also voiced concerns about the proximity of the new stops to heavy vehicle traffic flow.
The next phase of community outreach is taking place by means of a Design Elements Preference Survey. The 10-minute survey asks about preferences for types and styles of streetscape amenities for Wilshire and La Cienega Boulevards. The survey also asks for ideas about the types of transportation, design, and informational elements that will be available at a future Gale Mobility Hub at Wilshire Boulevard/North Gale Drive. The community feedback will be used to develop draft concept designs the City will present for review in the fall.
For more information about Connect Beverly Hills and to take part in the survey, visit connect.beverlyhills.org.
