West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach is getting a makeover. Here’s what the city is planning
Significant improvements are coming to West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach this fall, according to a news release from the city.
The West Grand Avenue Streetscape Fourth-Eighth Street Project, which has been in the works since 2021’s West Grand Avenue Master Plan, will bring a “robust set of improvements” to the city’s main roadway, the release said.
The Grover Beach City Council approved final design plans for the $4.2 million project on June 26, and a construction contract will be presented to the City Council in September.
“We are thrilled to see these West Grand Avenue improvements come to Grover Beach after so many years of careful planning and community consideration,” Grover Beach Mayor Karen Bright said in the release. “This is yet another positive step toward achieving a safe, thriving and vibrant commercial corridor that builds on our past successes.”
The project will make improvements to West Grand Avenue between Fourth Street and Eighth Street, including a landscaped center median, decorative crosswalks with enhanced safety features, sidewalk and curb improvements, painted Class II bike lanes and pavement rehabilitation, the release said.
Other improvements include new curb ramps, bulb-outs, pedestrian beacons and sidewalk improvements at select locations, pedestrian-level streetlights, storm drain installation, drought-tolerant trees and landscaping in medians, and new crosswalks at Fourth Street and Sixth Street, the release said.
Construction is expected to take six to eight months, during which the city will work with local businesses and property owners to provide detours and alternative access points when traffic is impacted, the release said.
Funding for the project came from a $1.8 million San Luis Obispo Council of Governments Community Betterment Grant, a $2 million contribution form the city’s general fund and funds from the Senate Bill 1 gas tax and other sources, the release said.
The city previously made improvements to West Grand Avenue between the beach and Highway 1, from Second Street to Fourth Street and from Eighth Street to 11th Street as part of its Major City Goal of Economic Development and Community Promotion, the release said.
The latest improvements will support an “emerging hub” for multi-family housing and commercial development, including planned developments at 401 and 402 West Grand Ave., which are projected to provide around 100 new housing units and retail space.
“With a mix of enhancements and safety features, the West Grand Avenue Streetscape project aims to create an enjoyable and secure environment for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike,” Grover Beach city manager Matt Bronson said in the release. “This is a critical step toward establishing Grover Beach as a model for smart urban planning, and it marks an exciting time for growth and investment in our city.”
