SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Newly planted California native trees, shrubs, and ground cover can now be found on transformed landscaped medians along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, adding green spaces and biodiversity to historic South Central.
Caltrans and the city of Los Angeles celebrated the completion of the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd: Equity amd Connectivity through Greening Project with an opening ceremony and community run hosted by Councilman Curren Price Aug. 2.
The $10.7 million project added and improved medians at seven locations along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, between Figueroa Street and Central Avenue, with native, drought-tolerant landscaping. The project also improved sidewalk and bus stop accessibility along the 1.5-mile corridor.
The improvements were funded in part by a $5 million local grant through Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, a sweeping $1.2 billion clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, beautify the state highway system and engage communities to transform public spaces. The project also received funding from federal, state and county programs.
“We’re thrilled to see the results of this Clean California Local Grant project and appreciate the thoughtful work and effort by the city of Los Angeles to revitalize this corridor in historic South Central,” said Caltrans District 7 Director Gloria Roberts. “Residents and visitors alike will benefit from a more comfortable, safe and beautiful experience as they walk and bike along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.”
The landscaped medians serve as a multi-benefit community resource, creating accessible green spaces and serving as a traffic-calming feature to improve pedestrian safety. The elements also mitigate the urban heat island effect and improve air quality and biodiversity. The use of native plants is purposefully grounded in sustainability, as local, drought-tolerant species require less water, pruning and overall maintenance while providing a habitat for local pollinators and wildlife.
“The MLK Streetscape project is a major step toward revitalizing South Central, fostering biodiversity, advancing equity, and bringing green space to areas once covered in concrete,” Price said. “We’re grateful to Caltrans for partnering with us to bring this vision to life. It’s a lasting investment in equity, sustainability, and community well-being.”
