Wilshire Boulevard will be closed between El Camino Drive and Crescent Drive for three weeks beginning on March 17. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Beverly Hills City Council on Feb. 5 approved Metro’s request for a three-week closure of Wilshire Boulevard and a six-week closure of South Reeves Drive to continue ongoing construction of the D Line Subway Extension Project. Previously, Metro planned to close the portion of Wilshire Boulevard for up to 13 weekends to conduct the work.

Wilshire Boulevard will be closed between El Camino Drive and Crescent Drive from March 17 to April 7. South Reeves Drive between Wilshire Boulevard and the alley immediately south will be closed for six weeks beginning either February or March. According to a city staff report, 16-foot sound barriers will be installed on South Reeves Drive, and access to alleys and the Rolex building driveway will be maintained.

According to the staff report, the city met with the Southwest Beverly Hills Homeowners Association, the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and surrounding businesses including Two Rodeo Drive and the Maybourne Beverly Hills to receive feedback on the closure schedule. The report stated that most stakeholders favored a three-week closure as opposed to 13 weekend closures of Wilshire Boulevard.

Vice Mayor Sharona Nazarian said the city should ensure that residents are notified with the proper detour routes during the closure, which include Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard and Burton Way.

“The cut-through traffic is also significant. People are going to be frustrated, they’re going to be looking for an alternate route. They’re going to be using Waze and Google Maps, etcetera, to get home,” Nazarian said. “Whatever we can do to mitigate that and ensure that the proper paths that are being designated are shared with our residents, that would be great.”

Mayor Lester Friedman criticized Metro’s road closure notices for Beverly Hills residents and buildings. He pointed toward Metro’s paper fliers usually left on doorways within the city and said he did not find them to be adequate, given that each building often contains many tenants, particularly with businesses in the area near Wilshire Boulevard.

“When we have this significant road closure there has to be actual handing it to each office, each resident, not just putting it on a sign post. It just doesn’t work that way,” Friedman said.

City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey will finalize an official agreement with Metro.

The City Council also denied a request from Metro to allow work on Presidents Day on Feb. 17, the Academy Awards on March 2, Mother’s Day on May 11 and Father’s Day on June 15.

Metro provides updates on subway construction via advertising, including in the Beverly Press.