The Long Beach Public Works Department will host a community meeting next week to share information on the proposed Pacific Avenue North Corridor Improvements Project – a major transportation investment intended to improve safety, accessibility and connectivity for all roadway users.
The virtual meeting will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, on Zoom, according to a city news release.
The project plans to reimagine about 2 miles of Pacific Avenue between Pacific Coast Highway and Wardlow Road. Planned improvements include full roadway rehabilitation, six new signalized intersections, upgraded traffic signals, new crosswalks, ADA-compliant sidewalks, and more than 30 new curb ramps, curb extensions and transit improvements, along with 13 new shelters at existing bus stops.
It will also add about 2 miles of bicycle infrastructure along the corridor, including striped bike lanes between Pacific Coast Highway and West 31st Street, and a new physically separated two-way bikeway between West 31st Street and Wardlow Road, the city said.
During the community meeting, city staff will present an overview of the project, including proposed design features, safety benefits and the anticipated project timeline.
Community members will have the opportunity to speak directly with project team members, engage with visual displays and ask questions, officials said. Interpretation services will be provided in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
The project’s development has been informed by extensive community engagement, including public workshops, neighborhood presentations, focus groups and pop-up events. Community feedback consistently identified street design and infrastructure improvements as a top priority for reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries, officials said.
The Pacific Avenue North Corridor Improvements Project is funded primarily through a $25 million U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, along with Metro Measure R and local Measure A funding, according to the news release. This project is also part of Long Beach’s Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan.
“Pacific Avenue is identified in the Safe Streets Long Beach High-Injury Network as one of the city’s most dangerous corridors for pedestrians and bicyclists,” the new release said. “Between 2018 and 2022, the northern segment experienced nearly 300 reported collisions, including five fatal collisions. Existing roadway conditions, including high vehicle speeds, crossing challenges and gaps in bicycle infrastructure, contribute to elevated safety risks for vulnerable roadway users.”
The project is intended to advance the city’s goals and policies outlined in the Long Beach Safe Streets Action Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Climate Action Plan and Complete Streets by prioritizing multimodal transportation improvements and enhancing roadway safety for users of all ages and abilities, according to the city’s website.
Long Beach is also preparing for construction on the Pacific Avenue South Transformation Project between Ocean Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway, which will reconfigure the current travel lanes.
Together, both project improvements are meant to create a safer, more connected corridor along nearly the entire length of Pacific Avenue, officials said.
The Pacific Avenue North Corridor Improvements Project is anticipated to begin late this year, following the start of construction on the Pacific Avenue South Transformation Project in the fall, the news release said. Construction of the northern segment is expected to take about 12 months.
For more information about the project and how to participate in or submit questions ahead of the July 15 meeting, visit Lbcity.info/pacificavenorth.