More on the idea of Humanizing Lincoln and Pico Boulevards

A Mr. or Ms. Anonymous posted a comment on Reason #6, below; dismissing the idea that one could "humanize" Lincoln Boulevard, with redevelopment, claiming my suggestion would result in more traffic and higher rents for merchants. So I thought I'd share some images of what I meant, from another city attempting to humanize their own arterial highway.

The city of Oceanside, CA is going through a visioning exercise on what to do about their "Main Street," which in this case is Coast Highway, or US-101. While not as busy as Lincoln, it shares similar characteristics, i.e., a prepondernence of shops catering to the used-car sales, car-repair, liquor stores, and artery-clogging fast-food businesses. Below is an exercise in "visioning" showing what the Coast Highway is like today:

and what it could become with, additional building setbacks to allow for wider sidewalks, selected "bulb-outs" for the stormwater infiltration and the planting of shade trees, and a continuous street wall with buildings scaled and oriented to the pedestrian:On Pico, where a "road diet" might be possible, i.e., a lane removed, even more could be accomplished. Here's the same street again in Oceanside on a road diet and a bike lane added:

(images courtesy of Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc.)

Lincoln and Pico Boulevards present their own unique challenges, and what's good for one city may not be good for another, but clearly something must be done to those streets. The status quo is unacceptable, and yet that is exactly what Proposition T aims to freeze in place.