On Saturday, the city of Long Beach hosted the latest iteration of its popular open streets festival: Beach Streets. With two miles of Artesia and Atlantic Boulevards closed to cars, thousands of people enjoyed bicycling, walking, skating, and more.
Long Beach has long been among just a few Southern California cities that strongly support green transportation. The city has facilitated bicycling, walking, and transit, through programs - including Beach Streets - and infrastructure - from protected bike lanes to bike paths to traffic circles and more.
When the city did not receive anticipated Metro funding, Long Beach considered canceling the Beach Streets Uptown event. Ultimately the date was postponed, and the city proceeded with a shortened route.
While it's promising that the city successfully proceeded with a reduced budget, it showed. Advance publicity appeared insufficient. Attendance was somewhat sparser than past Beach Streets events. Participants were definitely out enjoying themselves, especially at activity hubs. Along the shortened route, though, attendees were more intermittent than continuous. Parts of Artesia Boulevard felt too quiet.
Hopefully the crowds will return for next year's first ever Beach Streets in West Long Beach, tentatively Saturday May 10, 2025.
Below are photos from Beach Streets Uptown 2024.
The event previewed the city of Long Beach's Artesia Great Boulevard Project. Construction is winding down on the three-mile-long project. Features include protected bike lanes (parts curb-protected, parts parking-protected), landscaped medians, plus additional walk, transit, landscaping, and rainwater features. On Saturday, cyclists and skaters appreciated the project's now smooth (recently repaved) street surface.
Readers - how was your experience at this year's Beach Streets Uptown?
