Bus Only Lane Opens as Part of Lincoln Boulevard’s Makeover

November 20, 2017 9:40 AM
by Robert McCall

Santa Monica's Lincoln Boulevard is getting a big makeover. Last summer, the City of Santa Monica began making a series of improvements to transform the corridor into a friendlier environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit customers.

These changes will occur over a 1.25-mile stretch on Lincoln Boulevard, between the I-10 Freeway overpass and City limits at Ozone Avenue. Beginning this winter, you can expect to see a new bus-only lane for Big Blue Bus’ Route 3 and Rapid 3, running during peak commute hours, from 7 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m. on weekdays. Outside of these hours, the lane will serve as street parking as it does today.

For transit riders, the new bus-only will allow for improved bus flow and travel time. Commuters may experience up to an 8-minute savings for one-way trips on Big Blue Bus, which equates to more than 60-hours saved per year, when riding in both directions. This means faster service to and from LAX, and improved connection to Metro Rail’s Green and Expo Lines. Los Angeles Magazine recently commended the Lincoln project in its article on how bus-only lanes can help move more people around Los Angeles County.

When in use, the bus-only lane will replace metered street parking along Lincoln Boulevard. To reduce the impact of parking loss for nearby businesses, the City will install new parking meters on select side streets.

A better tree canopy and a bus-only lane are just the beginning of improvements to see in coming years. The series of street-level enhancements, collectively known as the “Lincoln Neighborhood Corridor Plan” (or “LiNC”), is supported by the local business community and nearby property owners. Local business improvement goals include a renewed focus on restaurants, cafes, markets and neighborhood services along the boulevard. These changes will help vehicle flow, support transit, enhance landscaping, and improve the overall experience for pedestrians.

For more information, please visit bigbluebus.com/linc

Authored By

Robert McCall
Community Engagement Administrator