Eastbound traffic on “Big” Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills will be closed for much of the summer, as the city rebuilds the major artery.
Traffic detours begin where Santa Monica Boulevard forks into its north and south branches at Century Park East. The northern fork is closed to all traffic from Wilshire Boulevard to Rodeo Drive, starting this weekend.
Eastbound traffic is detoured on the “Little” Santa Monica branch — a busy commercial district formally known as South Santa Monica Boulevard.
Westbound traffic on “Big” Santa Monica is allowed through, using the customary two lanes.
This configuration will last three weeks, and then westbound traffic will be shifted across the road, so it can be reconstructed. One eastbound lane will be reopened on “Big” Santa Monica during that second phase.
The construction zone extends from Wilshire several blocks east, to Rodeo Drive. Lanes will be slightly widened, and new curbs and drainageways will be built along the road.
Later projects will extend the modernization east to Beverly Boulevard.
The lanes are being closed so crews can make major roadway improvements, according to the Beverly Hills Office of Emergency Management.
More details are available at the website www.beverlyhills.org/smblvd, or by calling (424) 339-9033