The capital improvement project, proposed in 2024, will involve widening the sidewalk on the Coast Boulevard-side of the park from five to 10 feet.

Visitors to La Jolla’s Ellen Browning Scripps Park will soon have more sidewalk to explore: The long-awaited project to widen the southeast sidewalk of the park will begin construction Monday, March 16.

After demolition of the existing sidewalk and concrete removal is done, new concrete will be poured. The project is scheduled to be completed by Friday, April 10, according to city of San Diego spokesperson Caleb Olsen.

There will be temporary construction fencing placed around the project site while crews are on site; the rest of Scripps Park will remain open.

Crews have been in the area recently, undertaking preliminary prep work.

The project, proposed in 2024 within Mayor Todd Gloria’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, will expand the sidewalk along Coast Boulevard from five to 10 feet and include minor grading as needed, installation of some turf and relocation of existing irrigation and will not remove any trees.

The sidewalk will narrow slightly at the southeast corner of the park for the grove of trees and signage already there.

The project has up to $750,000 in authorized budget funding, Olsen said, adding final costs are expected to be lower.

Actual costs cannot yet be specified, he said, as the work has not begun and field conditions are unknown.

“The allocation ensures the project can proceed as conditions are identified,” he said; final costs will be based on the work and materials ultimately required.