Santa Monica city officials are set to consider an updated safety study for Santa Monica Boulevard at their May 12 council meeting, with revisions aimed at slowing traffic and better protecting pedestrians along one of the city's busiest corridors.
The plan, covering the stretch from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue, was originally launched in October 2024 with funding from a Caltrans Sustainable Communities Grant. The Public Works Department is now asking the council to adopt a revised version of the study and authorize staff to begin phased implementation.
The updated plan comes after the council in February directed staff to go back to the drawing board on select elements, pushing for stronger pedestrian protections and additional measures to reduce vehicle speeds. Staff was given 60 days to return with revisions.
Narrower Lanes, More Signals
Among the most significant corridor-wide changes in the revised study is a reduction in travel lane widths. General travel lanes are planned at 10 feet wide, with an 11-foot maximum. Lanes that carry bus service would be allowed up to 12 feet. The narrower lanes are intended to discourage speeding by making drivers feel the constriction of the roadway.
The plan also calls for pedestrian signals to be placed on automatic recall — meaning they would activate without a button push — in both directions along the boulevard from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bus-Only Lanes and Transit Upgrades
The revised study incorporates recommendations from the Westside Cities Council of Governments' Bus Lane Project, which is designed to improve bus travel times and reliability.
Under the plan, peak-hour bus-only lanes would operate in both directions from Centinela Avenue to Harvard Street, using the existing parking lane during those hours. Full-time bus-only lanes would run in both directions from 14th Street to Lincoln Boulevard, converting one travel lane in each direction. Most on-street parking along that segment is expected to remain, with limited removal at select locations for visibility and lane transitions.
The plan also calls for extending an eastbound transit plaza and bus-only lane from 5th Street to Lincoln Boulevard, converting one eastbound vehicle travel lane. A new curbside transit plaza — essentially a block-long bus stop — would be created along the westbound side of the boulevard between 6th and 7th streets, replacing on-street parking on that block.
Bus stop placement would also shift significantly under the plan. Far-side bus stops, which are located after an intersection rather than before it, would increase from 52% to 80% of stops along the corridor. The change is intended to improve traffic flow and reduce conflicts between buses and turning vehicles.
Raised Crossings Under Study
One of the more contested elements involves vertical deflection treatments — raised crosswalks and speed tables — that the council had pushed for to slow drivers. Staff reviewed guidance from Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration and other transportation bodies and concluded that Santa Monica Boulevard generally falls outside the typical context where such treatments are broadly applied.
However, staff stopped short of ruling them out entirely. The revised plan calls for vertical deflection to be evaluated at select intersections during the engineering design phase, specifically at locations with high pedestrian crossing volumes or where other calming measures may fall short. Intersections under consideration include 16th Street, 21st Street, 22nd Street, Chelsea Avenue, Princeton Street and Franklin Street — all on the eastern portion of the corridor, where speeding is described as most prevalent. Up to three intersections would ultimately be targeted for such improvements.
Olympic Deadline in View
Staff outlined a timeline tied in part to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will bring significant traffic to the corridor. Quick-build Phase 1 improvements — including signal timing changes, leading pedestrian intervals and bus stop relocations — could be advanced within the next six to 12 months. A capital improvement project request for Phase 1 construction work is expected to be submitted during the fiscal year 2026-27 budget process, with completion anticipated before the Olympics.
Improvements at the Santa Monica Boulevard and Chelsea Avenue/Park Drive intersection — flagged as a high-priority location — are anticipated to be completed after the Games.
The city plans to pursue additional grant funding for longer-term Phase 2 improvements, including through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program Cycle 8, with an application deadline in late June. Staff noted that council adoption of the safety study is a prerequisite for most grant applications.
The total project cost for the study itself is $590,000, funded through the Caltrans grant of $522,327 and $67,673 in Transportation Impact Fee matching funds. No immediate additional budget action is required as part of Tuesday's vote.