Pacific Avenue to Be Redesigned

[EDITOR NOTE: SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING STORY FIRST APPEARED ON JULY 28 IN THE LONG BEACH POST WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION TO THE AUTHOR, JOHN DONEGAN. OUR APOLOGIES FOR THIS JOURNALISTIC ERROR.]

Long Beach’s Pacific Avenue will soon be receiving major changes, as the city is amid a redesign of the north-south artery that stretches from Ocean Boulevard and all the way to the 405 Freeway.

The Pacific Avenue project is expected to create about 2 miles of new, protected lanes for bicyclists, as well as several new pedestrian crossings and sidewalks. City Officials also hope that the project will allow for more streamline access to the city’s public institutions such as the Metro A Line, the Long Beach Convention Center and Long Beach City College.

While the project itself is still within the design phase, it is set to have a major role in the city’s Safe Streets Action Plan, an initiative adopted by the Long Beach City Council in 2020, which aims to eliminate any and all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2026.

According to city traffic engineer Paul Van Dyk, a recent road study found that only 14% of drivers were at or under the 25-mph speed limit along Pacific Avenue, with about nine people dying in vehicular collisions along the avenue since 2020, most of them being pedestrians.

“We had quite a few cars actually going double the speed limit through that area,” said Van Dyk.

According to Van Dyk, by putting streets on a “diet” via the restriction and removal of lanes, it will force drivers to drive their vehicles at slower speeds – in turn making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians and as well as making future probable accidents on the road less fatal.

Complaints regarding Pacific Avenue have been a recurring theme within official meetings of Long Beach’s Wrigley Association, according to Association Board Member Alejandra Gutierrez – who describes the current conditions of Pacific Avenue as “pretty blighted.”

According to Guitierrez, residents routinely comment or question about the conditions of Pacific Avenue, including safety concerns about the sidewalks, lack of lighting, and even parking, to name a few.

 “It’s densely populated, and Pacific Avenue is a relief valve for the congestion in the neighborhood,” said Gutiérrez. “So, there is a concern that building the bike lanes might affect how much parking is available.”

For Guitierrez, should the proper design improvements in the project be made, residents, businesses and pedestrians that happen to use Pacific Avenue will find that the route is not only safer but much easier.

“Overall, the feeling is positive, and it sparks an excitement that we might be getting more of a focus,” said Guitierrez. “The western part of the city hasn’t always had that attention. Hopefully, it gains some momentum.”

The Pacific Avenue Project is estimated to cost around $34 million, with the expectation of being built in two phases: from Ocean Boulevard to Pacific Coast Highway, and then Pacific Coast Highway up to the Wardlow rail station just south of the 405. During a City Council Meeting held on Tuesday, July 22, council members approved the proposal of a federal grant worth $25 million, which is reported to cover the northern section of the project. Long Beach officials are aiming for the project to be finished prior to that of the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics.