USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Santa Monica, California – Ocean Park Boulevard

ROAD DIET IMPROVES SAFETY NEAR SCHOOL

Objective Features Results
  • Improve safety and pedestrian crossing conditions along Ocean Park Blvd from 16th to 18th Streets
  • School zone
  • Previous safety improvements had little influence on speeding and number of crashes
  • 65% reduction in collisions
  • 60% reduction in injury collisions
  • Reduction of speeds

 

Illustration of a 1.1 mile segment of Ocean Blvd. Average daily traffic on this roadway is 23,000 vehicles per day.   Illustration depicting the before and after configurations. The before configuration was a four lane roadway with two lanes traveling in each direction. The after configuration included one two-way left turn lane, one through lane in each direction, a bike lane to the right of each through lane, and dedicated on-street parking separating the bike lane from the curb.

BACKGROUND

The City of Santa Monica installed an interim Road Diet on Ocean Park Boulevard in 2008 with hopes of improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in the area. Extending 1.1 miles, from Lincoln Boulevard to Cloverfield Boulevard, the Road Diet included restriping, bicycle lanes, and on-street parking. The corridor is a transit route and carries approximately 23,000 vehicles per day, the upper end of traffic volumes typically recommended for a 3-lane Road Diet. The land use along Ocean Park Boulevard includes several schools and a neighborhood commercial district. The speed limit on the corridor is 35 mph, with a school zone area of 25 mph when children are present.

Ocean Park Boulevard looking east at 16th Street. Photo: Eric Widstrand
Ocean Park Boulevard looking
east at 16th Street		 Ocean Park Boulevard looking east at 18th Street marked crosswalk and bicycle lane. Photo: Eric Widstrand
Ocean Park Boulevard looking east at 18th Street marked crosswalk and bicycle lane

SAFETY ISSUES

The main focus area of the Ocean Park Boulevard Road Diet was a short segment from 16th Street to 18th Street, which includes the Will Rogers Elementary School, the John Adams Middle School, and recreational facilities. With such a high volume of student activity in this area, vehicle speeds and a recent increase in crashes were concerning for parents, school faculty, and nearby residents. It became apparent to city officials that additional safety improvements were necessary since previous efforts such as adding crossing guards, flashing crosswalks, and speed feedback signs had little influence on speeding and the number of crashes.1

This road diet configuration resulted in a 65% reduction in collisions.

RESULTS

In the first 9 months following the reconfiguration, collision data indicated there was a 65 percent reduction (from 35 to 12 crashes), as compared to the same 9-month period in the year prior to the Road Diet installation. Injury collisions were reduced by 60 percent following the reconfiguration.

Travel speeds, based on statistics from the local transit provider in the corridor, have generally remained constant throughout the day. The 85th percentile speed within the Road Diet is at or below 27 mph, and speeds are approximately 10 mph higher outside the Road Diet limits. Utilizing a survey available online and distributed by mail, the city gauged the community's sentiment on the Road Diet installation. Many people appreciated the improved conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, but others were dissatisfied by delays and a perception that the reconfiguration caused motorists to shift onto parallel streets.

The city collected traffic counts on Ocean Park Boulevard and the nearby roadways. Volumes on Ocean Park Boulevard decreased by approximately 3,000-4,500 vehicles per day after the conversion. The city's analysis was inconclusive on where these trips shifted. Some of the vehicles appeared to move to I-10 Freeway, but traffic counts showed the volumes on nearby local streets have been relatively stable.

Because of the resulting safety improvements and reduction of speed, the city made the decision in 2010 to retain the Road Diet configuration permanently as part of a resurfacing project along Ocean Park Boulevard.

1 Ashley Archibald, "Ocean Park Blvd. Lane Change Project Made Permanent" Santa Monica Daily Press, April 12, 2011. Assessed March 17, 2015. Available at: http://smdp.com/ocean-park-blvd-lane-change-project-made-permanent/78451