San Diego

City Completes First Steps of Gaslamp Promenade Project in Downtown San Diego

NBC Universal, Inc.

The first, and some say the most important, phase of the Gaslamp Promenade project is ahead of schedule.

Street crews have installed traffic bollards at 3 of 11 intersections inside the planned walking district. The bollards will keep bar, restaurant and shop patrons safe from moving traffic and help create eight distinctive plazas that make up the promenade.

On St. Patrick’s Day, one of the busiest party nights, you get a real-time look at what creators want the promenade experience to be when it’s finished.

The Gaslamp Quarter Association says the promenade will improve walkability and help make the area a destination for tourists and local families, and create more tax revenue for the city.

While the project has been talked about for a decade, dining parklets that sprung up during the pandemic became inspirational.

"The pandemic hit and really gave us an opportunity to test our theory," GQA executive director Michael Trimble said. "It really jump-started the project by three or four years."

The bollards may seem like a wee step in the massive project, but on a day celebrating Irish Christianity,
it is a sign, of hope and faith in what the future holds. The bollard project is expected to be complete in May and the city will start using them to block traffic in the area in June.

Contact Us