The Lancaster City Council approved a $10.5 million contract for improvements to Lancaster Boulevard as part of the city’s effort to make the downtown area a gathering place and more pedestrian friendly. General contractor Hanes & Associates in Lancaster was the low bidder for the project. The improvements will include removing two lanes of traffic, slowing speeds to 15-20 miles per hour, and adding landscaping, including rows of trees to mitigate the wind and heat. In addition there will be new paver sidewalks, curbs and gutters, paved streets, an at-grade paver center median for parking, an extended storm drain, decorative street lights, an audio/sound system, landscaping, and street furniture. Over the past year, new restaurants and an artist’s loft and gallery have opened in downtown. The new Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery will join the Lancaster Performing Arts Center in creating a vibrant cultural scene, city officials said. “By this time next year, we will have an incredible new (boulevard) that will attract people from all over southern California to indulge in top-notch dining and entertainment,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said. Mark R. Madler
Downtown Improvement Project Proceeds in Lancaster
