Extension of Bus Lanes on Lincoln Boulevard

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Improving lives and communities through transportation.

The feasibility study will further explore opportunities to enhance transit frequency and reliability through the potential extension of peak-hour bus lanes along Lincoln Boulevard (State Route 1), spanning from Venice Boulevard to West Manchester Avenue -- about 3.1 miles. The intent is to maximize the use of existing right-of-way, reduce congestion, and serve communities that rely on public transit. Transit services in the area connect the public to destinations like Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and even Downtown Los Angeles.

Although the study segment is within the boundaries of the City of Los Angeles, the City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus is the primary operator that provides transit service along the study area through Route 3 and Rapid 3 buses. Other bus operators intersecting this segment include Culver City Bus Lines, LADOT LAnow On-Demand Shuttle, LADOT Commuter Express, and LA Metro.

• The Big Blue Bus Route 3 & Rapid 3 serves 3,883 passengers per average weekday.
• Thirty-nine percent (39%) of riders are between 25-34 years old.
• About seventy-five percent (75%) of riders earn an annual income of less than $50,000.
• The City of Santa Monica Department of Transportation's  2023-2024 Annual Report  noted an increase of eleven percent (11%) in ridership compared to the prior fiscal year.
• Notably, BBB Route 3 ranks among the top three routes with the highest ridership on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The ridership and demographic (based on the 2023 onboard survey) information above is provided by the City of Santa Monica Department of Transportation.

• Extending peak-hour bus-only lanes on Lincoln Boulevard would allow buses to travel on the parking or outer lanes during weekdays in both directions, from Venice Blvd. to W. Manchester Ave.
• The buses would operate northbound only from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and southbound only from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Parking would be available when the bus lanes are not operational.

Combined, on-street parking currently makes up about one (1) mile of the study segment. On the northern part of the study segment, on-street parking is located between Venice Blvd. and Maxella Ave. On the southern part of the study segment, on-street parking is located south of Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Dr. to W. Manchester Ave.

The existing on-street parking restrictions on the north and south sections of the segment are detailed below.

• Based on existing parking restrictions for the north section, considerable modifications to parking restriction hours would be necessary to implement peak-hour bus lanes heading northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening.

• Based on the existing parking restrictions for the south section, minor modifications need to be made to the existing parking restrictions. Some restrictions already exist during the morning peak hour heading northbound, while some evening peak hour restrictions exist when heading southbound.

The following summarizes the most common street configurations and potential alternatives for Lincoln Boulevard (SR-1), based on an analysis of a 3.1-mile stretch. The predominant configurations identified are two-lane, three-lane, and three- to four-lane setups, in both northbound and southbound directions.

Please note that as this is a feasibility study, the alternatives presented are preliminary and subject to further evaluation.

Please note that the estimated street and lane widths were obtained from Google Maps. The concepts above are not final and were created for visualization purposes only.

We welcome your input! Caltrans would like your help identifying community needs for better transit. Please complete the survey below if you would like your comments incorporated into the project planning process. 

This survey will close on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

We invite you to the following events to submit your feedback in person or learn more about the study:

Open House Meeting - Oakwood Recreational Center Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm 767 California Avenue, Venice, CA 90291

Past Events:

CicLAvia Venice - National Hub Sunday, April 21st, 2024, from 9 am to 4 pm 8900 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90232 Open House Meeting - Council District 11 Westchester Field Office Thursday, May 23rd, 2024, from 6 pm to 8 pm 7166 W. Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90045

No, this feasibility study is separate from the  Lincoln Fast Forward  project. The Lincoln Fast Forward project is part of a larger Capital Preventative Maintenance Project (CAPM) project on State Route 1. The CAPM Project is currently Ready To List (RTL), meaning that the Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E) phase is finalized, and the project will be advertised for bidding. Construction will tentatively begin in Fall 2025, and the target completion date will be Winter 2028/29. For inquiries regarding Lincoln Fast Forward, please reach out to the Public Information Officer, Peter Jones, at peter.jones@dot.ca.gov. Use the subject line "Lincoln Fast Forward."

No, this feasibility study is also separate from the  State Route 1 Multimodal Improvements Project  is along SR-1/Lincoln Boulevard Between Jefferson Boulevard and Fiji Way. The State Route 1 Multimodal Improvements projects is the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA&ED) Phase, with Caltrans providing Independent Quality Assurance (IQA) only. In the PA&ED phase, the project team conducts environmental studies to analyze the effect and impact of the various project alternatives for operational and emergency evacuation improvements. Alternatives are shared with the community, and after studying community input and environmental and engineering studies, Caltrans selects a final alternative.

This study initially began centered on assessing the feasibility of extending peak-hour bus lanes. The goal is to improve the speed and reliability of transit services along the 3.1-mile stretch between Venice Boulevard and West Manchester Avenue. Additionally, the study aims to gather community input to ensure that the proposed alternatives—ranging from no changes to peak-hour bus lanes or full-time dedicated bus lanes—align with the needs of both the community and transit riders. Please note the alternatives are not final and will be further studied if the study proceeds to the project phase.

The study focuses on the section of Lincoln Boulevard up to W. Manchester Avenue because current bus services do not extend beyond this point. Any potential changes or extensions beyond this area would require further analysis to address future transit needs and the necessary infrastructure.

Buses would use the parking or outer lanes for travel during peak weekday hours. The bus lanes would be in operation as follows: Northbound buses from 7 AM to 9 AM and Southbound buses from 4 PM to 7 PM. These bus lanes will be active Monday through Friday. Parking will be prohibited during these operational hours but allowed when the bus lanes are not in use.

Buses would use the parking or outer lanes for travel on a 24-hour basis. As a result, any existing on-street parking would be removed and unavailable.

A feasibility study is an initial step in the process. Once the study is completed, it will undergo an internal evaluation to determine whether the project should proceed. If it is decided to move forward, the next phase is to develop a formal Project Initiation Document (PID). This document will define the project’s scope, cost, and schedule, and will also facilitate a more comprehensive public engagement process. These steps are essential for securing and programming transportation funding.

Our survey is currently live! Please click on the "Take the Survey" tab on this StoryMap, then the "Click for the Survey" button. The survey will close on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Please contact Karen Herrera via email at Karen.Herrera@dot.ca.gov with the subject line “Lincoln Feasibility Study.”

Thank you!

If reasonable accommodation is required, or for other project specific inquiries, please contact: Karen.Herrera@dot.ca.gov with the subject line “Lincoln Feasibility Study."