Redondo Beach commission backs funding recommendation for protected bike lanes on Palos Verdes Boulevard

The Public Works and Sustainability Commission on a 6-0 roll-call vote recommended that Redondo Beach City Council fund the design and construction of protected bicycle lanes on Palos Verdes Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Irena.

The recommendation follows a staff feasibility presentation and public comment that emphasized safety benefits, regional connectivity and limited on-street parking impacts. "So tonight we're not talking about truck routes. We're talking about extension of bicycle lanes on the street, which could have traffic safety benefits," said Ryan Lewis, presenting for the city's traffic engineering/public works team.

Commission endorsement matters because the corridor links existing bicycle facilities in Torrance and Riviera Village and serves local destinations including Toledo Elementary School and Riviera Village. "The proposed location for the bike lane on Palos Verdes Boulevard is ideal for this sort of infrastructure, because it immediately serves families who bike to Toledo Elementary School and visitors to Riviera Village," said Alex Feynman, a Redondo Beach resident in District 3. Liam Walsh, a District 5 resident and volunteer with the South Bay Bicycle Coalition, told commissioners he was "strongly in favor of the proposed new protected bike lanes on Palos Verdes Boulevard."

Staff presented traffic and parking data collected in December 2024 and additional night counts. Key findings cited by staff included: bidirectional daily traffic near Avenue E measured at about 16,000 vehicles per day and 85th-percentile speeds near 35 miles per hour; block-by-block parking counts showed roughly one to two vehicles parked per block face during sample hours, with no more than five vehicles on either side of the corridor during late-night checks. Based on those counts, staff concluded that removing on-street parking on portions of Palos Verdes Boulevard would provide the space needed for a 6-foot bicycle lane plus a 4-foot buffer and a physical barrier if the city opts for a protected (class 4) facility.

Lewis said the corridor is narrower west of Bridal Street, so protected lanes would require removing parking or reducing vehicle lanes to one lane in each direction; staff favored removing parking as the least disruptive near-term option. He estimated initial design and construction costs at "at least $200,000," noting the work would mostly be striping and barrier installation rather than full reconstruction.

Commissioners and staff discussed driveway conflicts, stormwater/maintenance impacts and the need to coordinate with Torrance where the corridor passes city boundaries. Staff noted additional steps would be required if the city asked to change vehicle lane configuration across the jurisdictional boundary with Torrance, including regional study and coordination.

After discussion and public support from several residents and local bicycle-advocacy volunteers, the commission moved and seconded a recommendation that the City Council fund design and construction of protected bike lanes between PCH and Irena. The commission recorded ayes from Commissioner Simpson, Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Nafisi, Commissioner Bealey, Commissioner Sowell and Chairperson Arata. The motion passed by voice/roll call with no recorded opposing votes.

Staff said the project is not funded or designed yet; if Council directs funding, the city would hire a consultant to produce final plans and return with conceptual cost options (from lower-cost modular barriers to more permanent concrete treatments) before construction. Staff also identified potential near-term grant sources targeted at active-transportation projects and noted the pavement is in generally good condition, which reduces cost if only striping and modular barriers are used.

Commissioners asked that Council consider funding options during upcoming budget cycles or via grant applications; staff said Council could direct funding in a midyear budget discussion or include it in the capital improvement program. Several public commenters asked the commission and Council to pursue further protected-lane studies on Prospect and other South Redondo corridors in future phases.

The commission's action is a recommendation to City Council; it does not itself appropriate funds. If Council approves funding, staff said the project would return with designs and refined cost estimates and additional outreach on driveway openings, barrier type and maintenance implications.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: "Recommend City Council fund design and construction of protected bike lanes on Palos Verdes Boulevard between PCH and Irena." Mover: not specified; Second: not specified. Outcome: approved.

- Roll-call vote (as read aloud): Commissioner Simpson — Aye; Commissioner Anderson — Aye; Commissioner Nafisi — Aye; Commissioner Bealey — Aye; Commissioner Sowell — Aye; Chairperson Arata — Aye.

Sources: Presentation and data from city staff; public comments at the Public Works and Sustainability Commission meeting.