The City of Grover Beach is moving forward with plans to spruce up part of Grand Avenue.
We are getting a first look at plans to redesign West Grand Avenuebetween 4th and 8th Streets with the goal of revitalizing the busy area.
West Grand Avenue is a busy thoroughfare that sees a traffic volume of some 20,000 vehicles per day.
“We don’t see Grand Avenue as just a street to blaze down quickly and go somewhere else, it’s a street to enjoy,” said Grover Beach City Manager Matthew Bronson.
The city wants to make the area nicer for not only drivers but pedestrians and bicyclists as well.
“It’s an entrance to the beach but it’s also the walkable town that Grover Beach is becoming,” said Grover Beach Mayor Jeff Lee.
The city has released preliminary designs that include added medians with palm trees and drought-tolerant landscaping as well as new streetlights, curb ramps and crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety.
Mayor Lee says he is proud to see the multimillion-dollar project move forward.
“It’s an amazing feeling. Grover Beach has done so much work recently with streets that it’s time to work on Grand Avenue.”
Robyn Brinkerhoff owns Empower Yoga which recently opened up along West Grand Avenue.
“We’re a small studio, six to eight people.”
She says the project is welcome news.
“I think that’s the whole plan right is to really allow this side of Grover to shine, we’re seven blocks from the beach,” said Brinkerhoff.
The multimillion-dollar project is expected to cause traffic delays and disrupt access to businesses, but Brinkerhoff says the benefits will outweigh temporary disruptions.
“I actually at this point don’t have any concerns, the city has done an incredible job communicating.”
The city will pick a final design in the Spring and construction could begin in late Summer of 2023.
The project is expected to cost about $3.9 million. It will be paid for by the city’s capital improvement program and grant money.
