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This has quietly become the year of the waterfront in Los Angeles. Between new parks, coastal upgrades, and infrastructure projects popping up across the county, city officials have been steadily investing in the spaces where Angelenos meet the water — and the trend isn’t slowing down. L.A. city officials just approved more than $70 million in improvements for the LA Waterfront in San Pedro, a stretch of coastline that’s about to get a lot busier ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
What’s being funded
Credit: City of Los Angeles.
The LA Harbor Commissioners approved $66.5 million to expand road infrastructure and add new pedestrian walkways along the waterfront, plus an additional $3.7 million for new public restrooms at Wilmington Waterfront Park.
A major piece of the project involves Harbor Boulevard, one of the main roads running through the San Pedro waterfront. Crews will reconfigure and expand the roadway to two travel lanes in each direction. The expansion stretches from the San Pedro (SP) Slip to 22nd Street.
Alongside the road work, crews will add a landscaped, scenic pedestrian walkway. New walkways will also connect Harbor Boulevard and Miner Street directly to the nearby trolley stop.
Why now
The timing lines up with L.A.’s broader Olympic preparations. The LA Waterfront will host sailing competitions during the 2028 Games. That means the area needs to be ready for an influx of visitors from around the world. City officials say the upgrades will do double duty. They’ll support Olympic-related infrastructure, and they’ll also improve day-to-day life for residents in the surrounding Harbor community.
Credit: Freer via Shutterstock.
Mayor Bass explained the reasoning behind the investment. “By improving our roads and expanding pedestrian spaces, we’re keeping our Harbor community safe and improving their quality of life by investing in the public spaces they use every day,” she said. “As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world, we’re leveraging this moment to deliver lasting benefits for Angelenos. I want to thank our Harbor Commission for advancing this critical funding and for being a constant champion of our Harbor community.”
The Port of Los Angeles remains one of the most significant economic engines in the country. It has ranked as the No. 1 container port in the U.S. for 26 consecutive years. In 2025 alone, it generated $301 billion in trade. It also handled 10.2 million container units that same year.