ASCE Los Angeles Section

Balboa Boulevard between W. Coast Highway and 22nd Street in the City of Newport Beach, Orange County

Welcome to the beautiful new Balboa Peninsula entrance!  As residents and thousands of visitors pull off West Coast Highway and head toward the iconic peninsula, the wide roadway of Balboa Boulevard has blossomed into an inviting green promenade.  The design team worked with a citizen’s advisory committee to re-imagine the unattractive jumble of residential and commercial buildings that loomed over this “sea” of mostly concrete and asphalt.

The Newport Beach Public Works Department provided the oversight and support to implement this challenging project on such a busy thoroughfare.  Obstacles involving the new medians and sidewalks, utilities and infrastructure, paving and right-of-way boundaries were all overcome to implement the remarkable beautification of Balboa Boulevard.  This street enhancement program, a two-mile stretch of street, was focused on an aggressive landscape planting scheme that would transform the aesthetically challenged street into a beautiful and pedestrian-friendly promenade.  Three million dollars of street redesign, median installations and red curb area tree planting pop-outs were all built with minimum traffic flow disruption.  The utilities and irrigation infrastructure relied on horizontal drilling under the many driveways and alley ways along the street.  The results of this engineering feat are beautiful to see.  An outstandingly beautiful green street has replaced an ugly paved thoroughfare.

As previously mentioned, the project was created in conjunction with a citizen’s advisory panel consisting of the public residing in the area.  This demonstrated a close working relationship the City established with the community to deliver what the neighborhood envisioned and would take pride in.  It was unanimously the improvements to the overwhelming amounts of concrete and asphalt with lush landscaping to provide a welcoming feel, was needed.

The community’s visions were achieved, but not without obstacles.  The location of the project was within an established community where right-of-way to construct enhancement was extremely limited.  Furthermore, Balboa Boulevard has a high volume of pedestrian traffic due to its proximity to the beach.  The team introduced creative, yet sturdy, elements that would withstand frequent use without compromising parking and accessibility.  Some of these elements were achieved by installing slim vertical landscape elements, constructing planter bulb-outs, and building in previously striped-out right-of-way.  The results were exactly what the citizens wanted. 

Beautification/Revitalization

The Balboa Boulevard Revitalization project is a two-mile stretch of roadway, focused on an aggressive landscape planting scheme that would transform the aesthetically challenged street into a beautiful and pedestrian-friendly promenade.

The Balboa Boulevard Revitalization Project is a two-mile stretch of roadway, focused on an aggressive landscape planting scheme that would transform the aesthetically challenged street into a beautiful and pedestrian-friendly promenade.  Three million dollars of street redesign, median installations and red curb area tree planting pop-outs were all built with a minimum of traffic flow disruption.  The utilities and water-efficient irrigation infrastructure relied on horizontal drilling under the many driveways and alley ways along the street.  The results of this engineering feat are stocked with water-friendly landscaping.  An outstandingly beautiful green street has replaced a worn asphalt thoroughfare.

Pre and post construction exhibits and pictures