The two week closure of the Moomat Ahiko Way off-ramp from southbound Pacific Coast Highway has had little impact on the city’s traffic flow so far as construction crews build the foundation for a temporary pedestrian bridge.
The closure runs through Feb. 27 to allow crews to lay the foundation for the temporary pedestrian bridge, which will ensure continued access to the Santa Monica Pier during the $35.5M reconstruction of the 86-year-old structure.
Motorists traveling to the area should allow extra travel time and use alternate routes during the closure. From southbound PCH, drivers can turn left on California Incline, then right to access Ocean Avenue. Alternatively, drivers can continue to northbound Interstate 10, exit at Lincoln Avenue and turn left, then turn left on Colorado Avenue to access Ocean Avenue. A map of suggested detours is available at santamonica.gov/programs/pier-bridge-improvements.
Pier restaurants, shops, entertainment, parking and visitor access will remain open throughout the construction period.
The off-ramp closure is among the first significant public impacts of the Pier Bridge Replacement Project, which began in December 2025 with mobilization and vehicle ramp work in the nearby parking lot and is expected to continue through the end of 2027.
The project replaces a bridge built in 1939 that connects Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue to the Santa Monica Pier, one of California's most popular tourist destinations. The existing structure has long been scheduled for replacement after receiving a sufficiency rating of just 8.2 on a 100-point scale. It also does not meet current seismic standards.
The replacement bridge will be approximately 447 feet long and 39 feet wide — about 5 feet wider to the north than the existing structure. The new design moves a 15-foot-wide sidewalk to the south side of the bridge, while vehicles and bicycles will use a 20-foot-wide roadway on the north side. The new bridge will meet modern seismic and safety standards and provide a 75-year service life.
The Santa Monica City Council previously approved the $35.5 million construction contract with Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. The council also approved a $4.89 million contract with Bureau Veritas North America, Inc. for construction management and inspection services, and authorized additional engineering support services with Dokken Engineering, Inc. The Federal Highway Bridge Program will fund approximately 75% of the project cost — $30.2 million — with the remainder coming from local transportation funds.
Key construction milestones include the temporary pedestrian bridge construction phase from February through June 2026, followed by demolition of the existing bridge from June through September 2026. Foundation and pile work is scheduled from July through December 2026, with new bridge construction running from October 2026 through August 2027. Cleanup and parking lot restoration will take place from June through September 2027, with project completion anticipated in December 2027.
To maintain access during construction, the city will install temporary bridges and ramps. A temporary pedestrian bridge will connect visitors from Ocean Avenue to the pier, providing an 8-foot-wide walkway similar to the current north-side walkway. A temporary vehicular ramp will maintain access to the pier from the beach parking lot for emergency vehicles, deliveries and public parking.
Approximately one-third of Beach Parking Lot 1 North, adjacent to the pier, will be used as a construction staging area, resulting in the temporary loss of approximately 365 parking spaces. Approximately 726 spaces will remain available at Beach Parking Lot 1 during construction, and wayfinding signage is being installed to direct drivers to multiple alternate parking locations near the pier.
The historic blue pier sign will be removed for rehabilitation during construction and reinstalled in July 2027, approximately 10 feet north of its current location and elevated to provide improved visibility and clearance. To ensure visitors can continue to have an "Instagrammable Pier experience" during construction, a temporary half-scale replica of the iconic neon sign is being installed this month in the middle of the pier, adjacent to Pier Burger and near the Pacific Park entrance.
The project has been in development since the 1990s, with the city working through various federal approval processes and environmental reviews. The Santa Monica City Council certified the project's environmental impact report in June 2023.
For project updates, including construction alerts, visit santamonica.gov/pierbridge. For questions, residents and visitors can contact pierbridge@santamonica.gov or call 310-740-9545.