The Long Beach Department of Public Works will provide information on upcoming changes planned for Pacific Avenue during a public meeting on Thursday, April 2 at Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway).
The Pacific Avenue Transformation Project is aimed at increasing safety and accessibility for drivers, transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.
During the meeting, City staff will present an overview of the project, including proposed design elements, safety benefits and the anticipated construction timeline — which is expected to begin in fall 2026. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with City staff, view visual displays and ask questions. Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
Planned updates will include separated bike lanes, protected intersections, high-visibility crosswalks, reconstructed curb ramps, sidewalk upgrades, signal enhancements and new bus boarding areas and shelters. The project will reduce Pacific Avenue from five lanes to one lane in each direction. According to a public statement by the City, it expects these changes will “have minimal impact on commute times.”
The City identified Pacific Avenue as having the fourth-highest rate of severe pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Four fatalities have occurred along the corridor since 2020, three involving pedestrians. A traffic study conducted over 48 hours in November 2024 found that only 14% of drivers were traveling at or below the 25-mph speed limit, according to the City.
The project is funded by a Caltrans Active Transportation Program grant and a Surface Transportation Block Grant. It will support the City’s Bicycle Master Plan by connecting east/west bikeways on 3rd Street, Broadway and 14th Street, and improving access to transit services, including the Metro A Line, Long Beach Transit and Torrance Transit.
A separate $25 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will fund another project focused on the northern section of Pacific Avenue, from Pacific Coast Highway to Wardlow Road, with construction expected to start at the end of 2026.
