 The lanes themselves are comparatively narrow.The boulevard was inaugurated in 1868 as "Bulevar Santafesino", as part of a program of the municipality (created 6 years before) to beautify the city, then home to 23,000 residents, and which also included the opening of Pellegrini Avenue (then "Bulevar Argentino").Initially 18 blocks long, it was chosen by many wealthy families of the time to build mansions, many of which still persist.