The Allison Avenue Streetscape Improvements Project was an important effort for the City of La Mesa as it enhanced this ‘Gateway’ corridor leading into the city’s civic center. By emphasizing both circulation upgrades and the use of enhanced materials, Allison Avenue now provides clear paths of travel and safer multi-modal circulation while displaying a sense of character reflective of the downtown aesthetic. The upgrades came as part of the city’s walkability and smart growth plans. Additional improvements included urban-scale hardscape design with enhanced brick paver crosswalks, new street lighting and site furnishings, ornamental tree and trench grates, drought-tolerant landscaping, and low-impact development features within an urban streetscape theme. The reclamation of existing street area also allowed for the design of a small urban plaza at Palm Avenue, adjacent to new urban bioswales that are intended to improve water quality of streetscape run-off. The design implements ‘walkable’ streetscape features with widened sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, curb bulb-outs, and new bus stop improvements within the core downtown area. 

As the Project Manager/Landscape Architect, RES staff member David Preciado was responsible for the preparation of design and construction documents for this streetscape project.  

This project was completed in 2017 with a total project cost of $2 million.