Leimert Park Village in the Crenshaw district is the latest community to undergo a make-over to improve its accessibility to public transportation systems.

The village, renowned as a cultural center for African Americans, is one of eight Los Angeles communities that received $250,000 grants from federal and local transportation agencies after being identified as heavily dependent on public transit.

The project, called the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, provides a community with money to construct improvements and promote the use of public transit.

Leimert Park kicked off its improvement project by planting trees and putting up banners, said Renata Smith, a community manager for the neighborhood initiative. "These improvements are to create more of a pedestrian feel," she said.

Bus shelters also will be built as part of the project, Smith said, as well as "pop-out curves" to slow down drivers.