Lancaster transforms old highway into leafy boulevard
Lancaster, California replaced a busy five-lane road with nine beautiful blocks featuring trees and shops.
The city invested eleven point five million dollars to redesign the former highway into an inviting public space for residents. Three center lanes became tree-lined avenues that mimic dry stream beds found in early cities.
Within four years of finishing the project, the area generated two hundred seventy million dollars in economic output and created hundreds of new jobs for locals. The redevelopment also prompted the construction or renovation of hundreds of housing units across the district.
Library manager John Elford said initial complaints about construction stopped once the grand opening revealed the finished grand space. People who previously avoided the library began wandering in to browse books and spend quiet time reading.
The revitalized street now serves as a gathering place where neighbors know each other and witness positive transformations through social workers. Business owners partnered with the city in 2013 to create an association where they act as caretakers and promoters.
“It's kind of a melting pot, and we can always have more of that up here.”