New Sign Raises Questions

Tall, white letters reading “Fly Long Beach” now stand on Lakewood Boulevard between the airport runway tunnel and Spring Street.

Drivers passing by the sign before entering or after exiting the tunnel can see the attraction if they look quickly. But doing so can be distracting. Drivers slowing down or stopping can cause problems in that particular location. Multiple “no stopping anytime” signs are posted on lampposts for safety reasons, to prevent accidents from happening on that fast-moving, curving stretch of road near the underpass.

Thus far, the display does not draw drivers’ attention as much at night, as it doesn’t light up yet.

The sign is not visible from the 405 freeway.

The airplane captain might have one of the best views of the new insignia, as he or she would likely see the 12-foot-high letters bright and clear as the plane descends toward the mark while landing. Also, seat-belted passengers on the right side of the aircraft with a window seat can see the Long Beach greeting for a few moments.

As City of Long Beach officials grapple with a budget shortfall and roll out measures to fix it, including laying off employees, removing fire engine 14 from service and raising the cost of parking tickets, one might ask how the sign was paid for.

The Long Beach City Council approved paying up to $859,625 for the sign to be built outside the airport, the Long Beach Post reported on May 22, 2025 before construction began.

The final cost didn’t reach the maximum amount allowed by the councilmembers.

Darrick Lee, public affairs officer for the city-owned Long Beach Airport, told the Beachcomber through email:

“The sign was paid for with airport revenue. No taxpayer dollars were used to fund this project.”

Regarding the price tag, Lee said, “The total construction cost for the project was $747,500, paid for with airport revenue. No taxpayer dollars were used to fund this project.”

Lee said the project’s foundation and letters were installed in May, while the landscaping was finished in August.

“Electrical connectivity for the sign is still pending,” he added.

Asked why the sign was installed, Lee said:

The sign is part of a broader Citywide Wayfinding Signage initiative launched in 2016 to create memorable and welcoming civic landmarks at strategic locations in Long Beach. It will be seen not only by residents and commuters but by travelers flying to and from Long Beach Airport, which serves 3.7 million passengers annually. The sign is also part of the airport’s ongoing plans to upgrade facilities and improve customer experience.”

Meanwhile, a visit to the site on Sunday, Sept. 13, revealed about half, if not more, of the plant landscaping had turned brown and appeared dead, while other plants of the same type were a vibrant green.

An email was sent to Lee the following day to tell him. He responded:

“We’re monitoring it and can work with the contractor to have it replaced if it doesn’t naturally recover.”