Better Overland project moves forward

Big news on Overland Blvd: a safer, more pleasant experience is coming for everyone who walks, bikes & drives there. The Better Overland project is moving forward after City Council voiced their support at last week’s meeting.

Two Council votes produced two victories for safe streets, thanks in part to community members like you who wrote over 100 letters of support. All 5 city council members voted in favor. The first phase will improve Overland from Venice Blvd to Culver Blvd. Construction is expected to commence by summer. Click here to see the plans. A new signal and crosswalk will be added to reach the Julian Dixon Public Library.

Council also moved forward on the second phase (Culver Blvd to Ballona Creek) by selecting design Alternative B (view here). New shorter crosswalks, signaling, and traffic calming will slow down vehicles and build protected bike lanes to the Creek path. Staff reported some of the highest vehicle speeds occur on this portion of Overland, including through the Braddock & Farragut intersections used by hundreds of students and family members each school day. This vote allows staff to apply for grants and plan for this segment.

When complete we will have built the longest north-south protected bike lane in the city’s history from Venice Blvd to Fox Hills. Funding challenges at the state level forced the city to break the project up into smaller segments rather than approve and build all at once. Phase 1 & 2 are exciting steps forward – stay tuned for more updates and advocacy when the next segments come before council.