SAN DIEGO — The Gaslamp Quarter Association is proposing an ambitious $40 million plan to create an eight-block pedestrian promenade on Fifth Avenue.

The plan would pave Fifth Avenue in red brick from L Street to Broadway, creating a pedestrian haven in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter.

The association plans to hold meetings over the next several months to build support for the idea. The promenade would be modeled after the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

“We’ve gotten to a point in the Gaslamp Quarter’s life where it’s time to make that next step to make it a viable option for the tourists and San Diegan’s to visit,” said Gaslamp Quarter Association Director Michael Trimble

Tuesday, the association hosted a full meeting of stakeholders who heard details of the proposal for the first time. Some in attendance were supporters, but others were not so sure about closing off such a larger part of Fifth Avenue to cars.

“We don’t really need a promenade on Fifth Avenu to have a draw. I think this is a lot of change without thinking it through,” said a downtown resident who identified himself as JC .

The plan, if approved and funded, is expected to take about seven years to become a reality. Proponents of the promenade say it would change the character of the Gaslamp for the better.

“You have Las Ramblas in Spain, and I can think of hundreds of cities around the world that have taken public streets and given them back to people,” Trimble said.