Next month, Santa Monica will offer even more time to get to know the interior of your car.
The California Incline, which is coming up on a century of aiding vehicles in their trips between the Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Avenue on the bluffs above, will undergo a desperately needed reconstruction, resulting in a yearlong closure starting on April 20, city officials said.
The oft-traveled road is not up to seismic standards, city officials say.
City officials are trying to let drivers know about the closure well in advance.
"Traffic control will begin to be set up in the coming weeks," said acting Principal Traffic Engineer Andrew Maximous.
Primary detours will use Moomat Ahiko Way and Lincoln Boulevard exits.
In the past, when city officials have closed the incline for maintenance, they've seen a back-up on the Interstate 10 freeway off-ramp leading to Lincoln Boulevard.
The incline qualifies for replacement under a Federal Highway Administration program and, therefore, 88.5 percent of the cost of the project will be covered by federal funds. The project is expected to cost about $20 million.
The new incline will be about 750 feet long — about 100 feet shorter than the current one — and consist of a reinforced concrete slab structure with sections ranging from 29 to 56 feet, according to a report from Public Works.
The incline will be widened by more than five and half feet.
The widening will allow for a designated bike lane and improvements to the pedestrian sidewalk, which will be separated from the roadway by a concrete barrier.
dave@www.smdp.com
