Santa Monica Boulevard (aka Route 66) in West Hollywood, Calif., has been named one of the 10 Great Streets for 2011 by the American Planning Association.
According to the APA:
“There was a time, not too long ago, where “you took your life in your hands just to cross Santa Monica Boulevard,” said Jeff Prang, a member of the West Hollywood City Council. Today, despite 46,000 daily vehicle trips, this reconstructed main street embraces pedestrians, linking them to neighborhoods, landmarks, and traditions. A stroll along this iconic street, part of the legendary Route 66, yields distinct experiences. The west end is the center of the city’s renowned lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) community and nightlife. The eastern portion, a celebrated gathering place, runs through a culturally rich neighborhood of Russian-speaking immigrants.
And according to an article in Public CEO:
Scattered along the roadway – amidst some 600 traditional and unconventional businesses – are seven historic structures, including Irv’s, a 1946 burger stand and The Lot, where movies such as Wuthering Heights (1939), Some Like It Hot (1959) and West Side Story (1959) were shot.
The publication noted that Santa Monica Boulevard really started to rejuvenate once the city took control of it from the California Department of Transportation in 1999.
Another Great Street of 2011 includes Washington Avenue in St. Louis, which isn’t on Route 66 but runs close.
The APA also listed Great Neighborhoods of 2011, which included Swan Lake in Tulsa and the Pullman Neighborhood of Chicago.
UPDATE 10/5/2011: The Los Angeles Times posted a story about West Hollywood’s honor.
What a great honor for WeHo and 66. I completely agree that the changes that this stretch have undergone in the last 12 years have been amazing. It’s clear the influence that local politics can have on this highway. Just compare WeHo66 against Rancho Cucamonga’s portion of Mother Road in terms of designs and influences. They are polar opposite directions from the local communities, each positive in their own rights, but bringing 66 to the community. Congratulations West Hollywood on another job well done!