The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), in collaboration with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), celebrated the completion of more than four miles of safety and mobility improvements along Venice Blvd between Inglewood Blvd and National Blvd.

The project includes new crosswalks, signal upgrades, parking-protected bike lanes, and a 24-hour dedicated bus lane.

The project creates a safer corridor, improving reliable bus, bike, and pedestrian connections between Palms and Mar Vista for the nearly 47,000 residents living within a five-minute walk of the project area.

How the Improvements Help Riders 

An average of 20,000 riders board the Metro 33 Line on Venice Blvd every day, and 8,000 of them board or depart the bus within the project area.

On Metro Line 33, 93% of riders are people of color, 84% live in households making less than $50,000 a year, 82% do not own a car and rely on bus service, and 98% take Metro at least several times per week.

The improvements also provide greater access for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders to and from the Metro E Line (Expo) at the Culver City Station on the eastern edge of the project area.

This project is one of the recommendations resulting from the Bus Speed Engineering Working Group, authorized by the Metro Board of Directors and the Los Angeles City Council in July 2019.

It is a collaborative effort between Metro, the Mayor of Los Angeles, and LADOT to identify, design, fund, and implement transit-supportive infrastructure to speed up transit service as part of Metro’s NextGen Bus Plan and the agency’s Vision 2028 Plan.

LADOT, Metro Engage with Residents and Riders

Prior to implementation, LADOT and Metro engaged with residents and riders to understand their experiences and gather insights on the corridor's challenges and priorities. Over 250 businesses and 2000 individuals participated in 28 separate engagement events.  

“A lot of people we serve depend on the bus to get to work on time or to pick up their kids and other family members, so it’s critically important that we have a predictable and reliable schedule,” Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins.  “These new bus lanes will speed up our buses on this part of the corridor by up to 15% or more, which has benefits up and down the line.”

Participants emphasized the need for safety improvements and the importance of maintaining accessibility and efficiency on Venice Blvd.

The final project addresses the issues raised in these conversations and creates a safer and more accessible Venice Blvd that better accommodates the needs of all road users whether they are pedestrians, cyclists, public transit users, or drivers.