Eyes on the Street: More Culver City COVID Street Reconfiguration, Including Washington Bike Lane

New temporary protected bike lane on Washington Boulevard in Culver City. Photos by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
New temporary protected bike lane on Washington Boulevard in Culver City. Photos by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.

Earlier this summer, Streetsblog reported on Culver City responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by nimbly appropriating downtown street space to add outdoor dining, a shared bus/bike lane, and more space for distanced walking. Over the past month, Culver City has continued to repurpose additional space from cars to dining.

For about about a thousand feet of on Washington Boulevard in the Culver City Arts District – westbound between La Cienega Boulevard and La Cienega Avenue – the city removed one travel lane and one on-street parking lane and converted them to outdoor dining and a protected bike lane.

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New temporary outdoor dining space and protected bike lane on Washington Boulevard in Culver City
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On Washington Boulevard, Culver City repurposed a travel lane and on-street parking to provide space for dining and for bicycling

Starting at La Cienega Boulevard, the city has added “candlestick” posts to warn drivers of the upcoming merge. Yesterday, SBLA observed some fast moving drivers trying to merge at the last moment, causing other drivers to honk horns irately. Overall the new configuration seemed to be serving diners, cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers pretty well.

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Drivers get notice of the narrowed lanes ahead starting just east of La Cienega Blvd
More lane closed ahead signage on Washington Blvd near Ballona Creek
Additional lane closed ahead signage on Washington Blvd near Ballona Creek

Below are a couple more Culver City street repurposing projects SBLA spotted yesterday.

Expanded outdoor dining on Irving Place in downtown Culver City
Expanded outdoor dining on Irving Place in downtown Culver City
Temporary no left turn signage has been beefed up preventing drivers from turning into the bus/bike lane in downtown Culver City. Compare to earlier photo.
Temporary no left turn signage has been beefed up preventing drivers from turning into the bus/bike lane in downtown Culver City. Compare to earlier photo.
Outdoor dining on Sepulveda Boulevard in Culver City
Outdoor dining on Sepulveda Boulevard in Culver City

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