New Year, New Santa Monica: Downtown glow-up continues with offramp cleanup, landscaping and fresh sidewalks
January 13, 2026 4:44 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan. 13, 2026) — Santa Monica has completed the next phase of the Downtown Santa Monica glow-up, beautifying city gateways and shopping corridors to create a more welcoming and thriving downtown, including:
- Planting fresh landscaping with approximately 300 California native plants at the 4th/5th Street off-ramp and preparing the 2,000 square foot site for the use of recycled water
- Clearing brush and debris at the 20th Street off-ramp and adjacent protected bike lanes, part of an ongoing improvement program at all Santa Monica freeway off-ramps that will double Caltrans’ existing cleanup efforts
- Installing new curbs, driveway, and sidewalk and street repairs near Broadway and 6th Street as part of the city’s broader effort to repair 20,000 feet of sidewalks throughout the downtown area.
These upgrades build on the city’s recent downtown improvements, including:
- Planting 37 new street trees
- Pruning historic Ficus trees across six city blocks
- Establishing a regular power washing schedule for five downtown public parking structures
These “glow-up” projects are part of the two-year Realignment Plan renewal effort approved by the Santa Monica City Council in October. The plan invests $60 million in street improvements, safety enhancements and business support to reaffirm Santa Monica as a safe, clean and vibrant coastal community.
In tandem with these cleanup efforts is a strong focus on public safety to facilitate economic growth and revive the downtown core. Coming soon, as part of the Realignment Plan, is a new police substation in the downtown area, scheduled to open in the coming months at Santa Monica Place.
For more information, visit santamonica.gov.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov
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