The public has until April 17 to weigh in on a Caltrans feasibility study exploring whether bus lanes on Lincoln Boulevard should be extended southward through Los Angeles, with online feedback now open through the agency's engagement portal.
Caltrans is inviting residents, commuters and transit riders to review its Extension of Bus Lanes on Lincoln Boulevard Feasibility Study Report and submit comments at engage.dot.ca.gov/m45175. The report examines opportunities to enhance mass transit frequency and reliability along a three-mile stretch of Lincoln Boulevard, also known as State Route 1, between Venice Boulevard and West Manchester Avenue.
The agency emphasized that the study is a preliminary investigation and that no projects are currently planned.
This marks the fifth opportunity for the public to engage on the study. Previous outreach efforts included two online surveys, two in-person surveys, two open houses and corridor canvassing. The project webpage also includes a timeline of the feasibility study and a link to a StoryMap with additional background and details.
The study segment was flagged as a "hotspot of low speeds that could benefit from bus lanes" through Caltrans' Better Buses for California initiative, which the agency's deputy director for planning and modal programs sponsors.
The history of bus lane efforts on Lincoln Boulevard stretches back nearly a decade. In 2017, the City of Santa Monica installed peak-hour bus lanes on Lincoln Boulevard between Pico Boulevard and Ozone Avenue. That project reduced travel times and increased speeds for the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Route 3 and Rapid 3 lines within city limits.
Three years later, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and Caltrans partnered on the Lincoln Fast Forward project to extend bus lanes further, adding a segment between Commonwealth Avenue and Venice Boulevard — just north of the current feasibility study area. Then in 2024, the Los Angeles City Council District 11 office submitted a proposal for additional bus rapid transit on Lincoln Boulevard under the Better Buses for California initiative, helping to kick off the current feasibility study effort.
The current study focuses on the gap that remains between Venice Boulevard and West Manchester Avenue, where congestion continues to limit the effectiveness of existing bus lane improvements.
Although the study segment falls entirely within the City of Los Angeles, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus is the primary transit provider along the corridor, operating its Route 3 and Rapid 3 lines through the area. Several other operators also serve the segment, including Culver City Bus Lines, LADOT's LAnow On-Demand Shuttle, LADOT Commuter Express and LA Metro.
The study was completed by Caltrans District 7's transit branch, which provides planning and technical expertise to advance transit improvements, accessibility and multimodal integration on the state highway system. The branch also leads development of the District Transit Plan and administers state and federal transit grants.
Caltrans noted the feasibility study is separate from both the Lincoln Fast Forward project and the State Route 1 Multimodal Improvements Project, which are distinct efforts also underway along the corridor.
Members of the public can view the full report and submit feedback online at any time before the April 17 deadline by visiting engage.dot.ca.gov/m45175. The portal is accessible around the clock, and no in-person attendance is required to participate.