BEVERLY HILLS—The City of Beverly Hills’ Traffic and Parking Commission will hold two meetings in the next week to obtain public feedback and provide information about the reconstruction of N. Santa Monica Boulevard. According to a press release from the City of Beverly Hills, the project is slated to begin in spring 2016 and will include repaving, upgrading the century-old drainage system and other street improvements along the entire stretch of road in Beverly Hills.

The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m., while the second meeting will occur on Thursday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Municipal Gallery on the second floor of City Hall located at 455 N. Rexford Drive.

Discussions at the meetings will focus on tactics to prevent traffic diversion on residential streets, and to maintain access to the business triangle. After the public meetings are held, the Traffic and Parking Commission will present their recommendations to the Beverly Hills City Council.

Canyon News spoke with Therese Kosterman, Public Information Officer for the City of Beverly Hills via email about the upcoming meetings. She noted that the project is expected to be completed by 2018. “The City Council has not finalized a traffic mitigation plan, but part of it will be encouraging drivers to use alternate major streets (not residential streets) to get around the construction,” said Kosterman.

Residents and business owners are encouraged to attend one of the meetings and/or provide comments and suggestions by emailing SMBLVD@beverlyhills.org, phoning the hotline (310) 285-1092 or sending a letter to City of Beverly Hills, Community Development Department-Transportation, at 455 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

More information is available on the City’s website at www.beverlyhills.org/smblvd.