City of Long Beach approves $36 million construction project for 3 miles of Artesia Blvd.
One of the longest and busiest streets in Long Beach is getting a long overdue upgrade.
Three miles of Artesia Boulevard from Harbor Boulevard through Downey Avenue will get upgrades to the sidewalks, crosswalks, landscaping, roadways, street lighting and more.
The Long Beach City Council approved the Artesia Great Boulevard Project on Tuesday. It will cost taxpayers $36 million.
"The Artesia Great Boulevard Project has been many many years in the making," Long Beach Public Works Director Eric Lopez told CBSLA Reporter Rina Nakano. "When we're doing one side of the roadway, the other side will have access. But there will be impacts. So we ask people to be patient. Water quality basins are going to be underneath, helping us filter the runoff and clean the water before it ends up in our storm drains and in our oceans."
The goal is to ultimately make Artesia Boulevard safer for both drivers and pedestrians.
"Me as a taxpayer, we like to see where our money is going, so that's amazing," Tyscen Lee told Nakano.
Lee is the owner of the Ernestine Family Fish Market located on Artesia and Cherry Avenue.
He told Nakano that he is excited about the improvements coming to Artesia Boulevard. He believes the extra delays and construction will bring more traffic to the area, which could result in more customers.
Construction for the project will begin in December and is expected to be completed in 2024.