TO:
Honorable Parking and Public Improvements Commission Chair and Commissioners
THROUGH:
Ted Semaan, P.E.,Interim Public Works Director
FROM:
Eduardo Pech, PE, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Presentation of the 28th Street Stormwater Infiltration Project and Proposed Reconfiguration of Nearby Public Parking and Modification of Ocean Drive to One-Way Northbound Traffic Only
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that the Parking and Public Improvements Commission receive and file the status update presentation for the 28th Street Stormwater Infiltration Project and propose reconfiguration of nearby public street parking, and modification of Ocean Avenue to one-way northbound traffic only during construction.
BACKGROUND:
The cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) jointly developed a Watershed Management Program (the Beach Cities WMP) as part of compliance with the 2012 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Storm Water Permit. The Beach Cities WMP identifies capital improvement projects that would minimize wet weather discharges and eliminate dry weather discharges into Santa Monica Bay, to reduce pollutants entering the Bay and meet the water quality-based effluent (outflow) limitations. The 28th Street Stormwater Infiltration Project (the Project) is identified within the Beach Cities WMP as the highest priority project to significantly reduce bacterial, trash, and debris discharges into South Santa Monica Bay.
The Project will intercept an existing LA County storm drain beneath 28th Street at Manhattan Avenue and divert storm flows to an underground pump station below Manhattan Avenue. Stormwater will be pumped into a trash removal device and then routed through a series of sedimentation chambers before being distributed to a matrix of drywells located in and around the 26th Street Parking Facility, also known as the Bruce’s Beach Parking Lot. Refer to Slide 4 of the presentation for the approved site layout.
Funding for the Project is being provided by the Safe, Clean Water Program (SCWP) Measure W, the State Water Resources Control Board Proposition 1 Stormwater Grant Program, and the California Natural Resources Agency Proposition 68 Urban Flood Reduction Program.
The Project plans and specifications were developed by the City-selected design consultant, CWE, and have been finalized. The Project was advertised for bid on August 27, 2025, with Bid submittals due October 20, 2025. Construction is expected to start during the Winter of 2026 on the 26th Street Parking Lot, with construction at the intersection of 28th Street & Manhattan Avenue beginning in the Spring of 2026.
Due to the extensive construction work required in and around the 26th Street Parking Lot, the facility will be closed to the public for approximately 12 to 15 months. The lot will close as early as January 2026 and is expected to be completed by Spring 2027.
To mitigate the parking eliminated during construction, residents currently holding overnight permits will be reassigned to the El Porto Parking Lot or Pier Parking Lots. In addition, a permit program is in place with the Manhattan Beach Unified School District to provide displaced permit holders with access to the Grand View Elementary Parking Lot at night.
DISCUSSION:
1. Proposed Public Parking Modifications - Manhattan Avenue between 28th Street and 27th Street
Currently, this segment of Manhattan Avenue (30 feet wide) provides a single public parking space on the east side of the roadway. Due to the existing centerline alignment-located approximately 11 feet from the west curb line and 19 feet from the east curb line, the street width only accommodates parking on the east side. However, the presence of multiple driveways along the east curb limits available space to one usable street parking space.
The proposed modification involves shifting the centerline eastward by eight feet to create sufficient roadway width for public curb parking on the west side of Manhattan Avenue. This reconfiguration will allow for the striping of six new parking spaces on the west side. As a result, the existing single space on the east side would be removed, yielding a net gain of five public parking spaces.
Upon approval, the project’s design consultant will prepare signage and striping plans for the City review and approval. Once finalized, these plans will be incorporated into the overall project documents and constructed by the selected contractor. This is a temporary modification that will return to the original configuration after construction is completed.
2. Proposed Public Parking Modifications - 27th Street between Manhattan Avenue and Highland Avenue
Currently, this segment of 27th Street (25 feet wide) provides five public parking spaces along the north side of the roadway. Due to the existing street width of 25 feet, parking is only possible on one side of the street. There are five existing public parking spaces along the north side of the street.
The proposed modification involves shifting the curb parking to the south side of the street. This reconfiguration would allow for the striping of nine parking stalls along the south curb. As a result, the five existing stalls on the north side would be removed, yielding a net gain of four public parking spaces.
If approved, the project’s design consultant will prepare signage and striping plans for the City's review and approval. Once finalized, these plans will be incorporated into the overall project documents and constructed by the selected contractor. This parking modification is intended to become permanent after construction is completed.
3. Proposed Pedestrian Crosswalk Modifications - North and South of Bruce’s Beach Park at Bayview Drive
Currently, a total of four north-south crosswalks are located on the east and west sides of Manhattan Avenue at 26th Street and at 27th Street. However, the planned construction activities will close the sidewalks on both sides of Manhattan Avenue between 27th Street and 26th Street for approximately 9 to 11 months, blocking pedestrian access between 26th Street and 27th Street along Bruce’s Beach.
To maintain pedestrian connectivity to and through Bruce’s Beach Park during construction, two temporary crosswalks are proposed:
• One crossing 26th Street at Bayview Drive
• One crossing 27th Street at Bayview Drive
The existing sidewalks and crosswalks at Manhattan Avenue will be restored upon project completion.
If approved, the project’s design consultant will prepare signage and striping plans for the City's review and approval. Once finalized, these plans will be incorporated into the overall project documents and constructed by the selected contractor.
4. Proposed One-Way Traffic Reconfiguration - Ocean Avenue between 27th Street and 26th Street
The existing roadway width of Ocean Avenue between 27th Street and 26th Street is approximately 22 feet and currently accommodates parallel parking along the entire east side. However, the available width is insufficient to safely support two-way traffic, especially during construction when north-south vehicular traffic will be prohibited on Manhattan Avenue.
To address this constraint and improve circulation during the upcoming construction, it is proposed to reconfigure this segment to operate as a northbound one-way street. Signage and striping for this configuration would be installed before the start of construction and remain in place thereafter. This adjustment will also help facilitate traffic flow around active work zones.
If approved, the project’s design consultant will prepare signage and striping plans for the City's review and approval. Once finalized, these plans will be incorporated into the overall project documents and constructed by the selected contractor. Two-way traffic circulation will be restored upon reopening of Manhattan Avenue between 26th Street and 27th Street.
Construction Impacts
The necessary signing and striping work for these modifications will occur before the start of construction for the Project so that all improvements are in place in anticipation of construction. However, residents near the above-mentioned work areas and visitors intending to use the existing street parking and crosswalks may experience short-term noise, reduced parking, roadway closures, and other traffic disruptions during construction. It is anticipated that the modification process may take a month to complete. However, the public parking reconfiguration work will be phased such that only one work location is under construction at any one time to maintain as much public parking as possible.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A courtesy notice was mailed to all property owners and residents within a 500-foot radius of the subject location on October 9th with instructions on how to comment on the Project and/or attend this meeting.
Additionally, the project team updated the City Council on the Project Status on October 7, 2025, and received public input.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommend that the Commission receive and file the status update presentation for the 28th Street Stormwater Infiltration Project and support the proposed public parking and traffic flow improvements to the surrounding area.
ATTACHMENT/ATTACHMENTS:
1. Presentation