July 11, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Access A Key Issue For Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement:

If you stroll enough from the corner of Ocean Avenue and Colorado to Pacific Park or one of the restaurants on the Santa Monica Pier, you are likely to develop a pair of very strong calves. However, the walk from the street down to pier may no longer be as steep as the City Council begins providing input on the Pier Bridge Replacement Project.

Still early in the process, a discussion of how the new Pier Bridge should look like unfolded at the Nov. 26 council meeting. According to City staff, the bridge connecting Ocean Avenue to the Pier – which was built in 1939 – was determined by the Los Angeles County Public Works Department to be “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete.”

A key issue for the new Pier Bridge: accessibility.

The council hoped the new design would make it easier for people with disabilities to access the pier from Ocean Avenue.

On a similar note, council member Bob Holbrook suggested having elevators transport people from street level to sea level similar to what exists at Salvador, Brazil.

According to City staff, the current Pier Bridge is at a 10 percent grade and slows pedestrian speeds.

“The steep slope can be especially difficult to traverse for families, those with limited mobility, elderly, and disabled patrons,” City staff stated. “A key objective is to make the Pier bridge fully ADA [American Disabilities Association] compliant from the Ocean and Colorado intersection – main route – while maintaining full federal funding participation.”

In all, four plans were presented to the council last week, each one potentially ADA compliant but with different means proposed to access the Pier from Ocean and Colorado.

One plan calls for a Pier Bridge that is 58 feet – or 70 percent – wider than the current connector. This plan was suggested for further study and environmental review.

A second plan would replace the current Pier Bridge with a new one of equal dimensions but add an ADA compliant path just north of the bridge. The separate bridge would, according to City staff, have to be 60 percent longer than the Pier Bridge. Thus, the pedestrian bridge would possibly spill into the 1550 parking lot. City staff did not recommend this plan.

Plan No. 3 proposes a vehicular bridge at Moss Avenue just south of the pier. A bicycle and pedestrian bridge would replace the current Pier Bridge. However, this plan would negatively impact delivery and emergency service from Ocean Avenue to the pier and was not recommended by City staff.

The fourth plan would replace the Pier Bridge with “a bridge of the current width designed primarily for pedestrian and bicycle use, as well as limited/controlled use for delivery and emergency vehicles.”

Vehicular access in Plan No. 4 would be provided via an access bridge at Moss Avenue. City staff had recommended the fourth plan for further study. 

According to City staff, Santa Monica is eligible to receive federal funding from the Highway Bridge Program to direct at least some funds to the proposed bridge replacement project.

Looking ahead, concept designs for the proposed Pier Bridge replacement will undergo an environmental analysis and review.

in News
<>Related Posts

L.A. Louver Marks David Hockney’s 88th with Exhibit

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for...

Suspect Arrested in Shoe Retail Theft Spree Across LA County

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

During the search, police recovered two firearms and a significant quantity of merchandise The Los Angeles Police Department’s Organized Retail...

Suspect Arrested in Santa Monica Pier Arson Incidents

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The suspect, matching video footage from an arcade, was taken into custody Santa Monica Police Department officers arrested a suspect...

SMPD Launch New Recruitment Website Amid High Vacancy Rates

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The site features multimedia content, including day-in-the-life videos and officer profiles, highlighting the impact of serving the community The Santa...

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Santa Monica Joins Regional Lawsuit to Halt Unconstitutional ICE Raids

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The motion to intervene seeks to ensure that Santa Monica and other plaintiff-intervenors can advocate for their residents’ rights in...

Promenade Restaurant Introduces Lunch Menu Set at $18 Per Person

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The fixed $18 price point targets commuters and those seeking a power lunch or a change of scenery The restaurant...

Santa Monica Council Votes in Support of Park-Centric Future at Airport Site

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The decision followed a contentious meeting with over 140 public speakers and more than 1,000 emails received by the council...

Housing for Health Chief Appointed to Lead Unified Homeless Services Department

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

Veteran Housing Advocate to Oversee Streamlined LA County Services The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday confirmed the...

‘Adoptapalooza’ Pet Adoption Festival Returns to Main Street This Weekend

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The free, family-friendly event aims to connect adoptable animals with new owners Green Dog Dental & Veterinary Center will host...

Virtual Town Hall to Discuss Proposed Resilient Rebuilding Authority

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The agency, to be run by political appointees, would manage permitting, development, zoning, and funding, modeled after post-disaster recoveries Los...

New Agenda Coaching: Changing Lives in LA

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Students Work Toward Applied Success with Executive Function Coaching Services The demands of daily routines and studies sometimes bear weight...

Saint Monica Prep Students Win Award for Anti-Street Racing PSA Video

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

The winning public service announcement, titled “Not Worth It,” was highlighted in a post on X by @LADOTofficial  Students from...

Anti-Drunk Driving Resolution Introduced as City Council Honors Late Palisades Teen Killed in Crash

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Levi, who was set to attend the University of Virginia this fall, was killed by a drunk driver on May...