Santa Monica Welcomes Students With Transportation Help, Safety Measures
Santa Monica is preparing to welcome Palisades Charter High School students to a new temporary campus, dubbed “Pali South,” following the destruction of the original Pacific Palisades campus during recent wildfires. Classes at the new location, situated at 302 Colorado Avenue in the former Sears building, will commence on April 22 and conclude on June 6.
City officials say the emergency relocation effort has been a collaborative undertaking, involving multiple departments and support from school leadership. The Santa Monica City Council approved an emergency order to help expedite the move. According to city representatives, the initiative reflects a commitment to restoring in-person education for displaced students as quickly and safely as possible.
For commuters driving into downtown, exiting at the Lincoln Boulevard offramp may provide a smoother route. It may also be beneficial to adjust arrival and departure times, if possible, to avoid the morning and afternoon peak times.
Also of note: One lane in each direction will be closed on Lincoln Boulevard on April 21 and 22 between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard. This may cause impacts if exiting the freeway at Lincoln.
The temporary school site will operate on a regular weekday schedule, with classes starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 2:46 p.m., mirroring the schedule of nearby Santa Monica High School. To accommodate the influx of students, Santa Monica has implemented a comprehensive traffic and mobility plan that includes adjusted signal timing, increased traffic enforcement, and additional signage to manage peak-hour congestion.
Students are expected to arrive by various means, including Metro buses, Big Blue Bus, the Metro E Line, carpools, bicycles, and on foot. Nine charter buses organized by parents will also transport students directly to the site. Limited parking passes for students and staff have been allocated for use in Parking Structures 5 and 6.
A designated drop-off and pick-up zone will be located behind the downtown Metro E Line station, with access via 5th Street. To streamline flow and minimize traffic issues, officials have asked the public to avoid stopping along 4th Street and Colorado Avenue. The drop-off and pick-up lot for Pali High will be the Metro drop-off area located across 4th Street from the campus.
This lot is designed for brief stops and for active loading and unloading only. Cars waiting or parked in the lot will be asked to exit. The best way to access the lot is by exiting the I-10 West Santa Monica Freeway at 4th/5th Street, then turning right into the right lane to proceed onto 5th Street. Then merge to the left lane and turn left into the parking lot’s driveway.
Please note that there are no left turns from 5th Street onto Colorado Avenue when exiting the drop-off lot.
From the drop-off lot, students can access the pedestrian tunnel to safely cross 4th Street directly into the Pali South campus. For a less congested drop-off option, park in the metered parking on Main Street, in front of City Hall and Tongva Park, and have your student walk to school from there. Additionally, all city-owned Downtown Santa Monica parking structures are free for the first 90 minutes, encouraging parents to consider pickup at these lots as well.
Students can ride the Metro E Line from nearby stations at Expo/Bundy, 26th Street/Bergamot, or 17th Street/SMC, a short distance away. The Expo/Bundy Station is recommended for a faster pick-up and drop-off experience, as well as to alleviate congestion in the downtown Santa Monica area. Take the Metro E Line three stops to and from the Downtown Santa Monica Station. You can use the transit app or the Big Blue Bus planner to track arrivals and departures.
Santa Monica businesses and city departments are rolling out the welcome mat for students, offering special deals on dining and shopping, as well as access to city resources, including the Santa Monica Public Library. The city also encourages students and families to explore alternative drop-off points, such as metered parking on Main Street, and to take advantage of the first 90 minutes of free parking in public structures.
Pali South will be secured with 24/7 onsite personnel, and only students and staff with valid identification will be allowed on campus. Additional security support will be provided by the Santa Monica Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Downtown Santa Monica Ambassadors. The pedestrian tunnel connecting the drop-off lot and the school will be open exclusively during student arrival and dismissal hours.
Physical education classes during the day are scheduled to be held at Historic Belmar Park. The city of Santa Monica has also helped facilitate after-school sports, meetings, and other activities at various parks, libraries, and city facilities throughout the city.
Santa Monica’s Main Library is just a few blocks away from Pali South, at 601 Santa Monica Blvd., and offers many free resources and spaces for homework and studying ― open Monday through Thursday until 8 p.m. Find more at santamonica.gov/library.
City officials will monitor the initial weeks of operation and make adjustments to traffic, transportation, and public safety plans as needed. Residents are encouraged to report concerns to the city via email at 311@santamonica.gov.
