Bike Path
Redondo Beach Phase of the Diamond Street Bike & Pedestrian Path
UPDATE: The Diamond Street Bike Path is now OPEN!!
Click here to view photos from the Opening of The Diamond Street Bike and Pedestrian Path.
Following the December 13th ribbon-cutting event, attended by City Councilmembers, the Chair of the South Bay Cities Council of Government, School Board members, BCHD Board Members and many others, the Diamond Street Bike & Pedestrian Path is now open! Even as we celebrated the completion of the project, more than 30 bicyclists and e-bike riders utilized the newly improved thoroughfare, and we’re excited for the thousands more who will traverse this important link in the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan, going from North Redondo, Torrance and other parts of the South Bay to South Redondo Beach (and vice versa).
Diamond Street Bike Path Projects Updates
3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
Free parking will be available on the BCHD Campus at 510-514 N. Prospect Avenue (please do not park on side streets)
Check-In, Tours & Blue Zones Restaurant Bites: 3:45 p.m.
Program & Ribbon Cutting: 4:00 p.m.
More tours will be available following the program
This event is a celebration of the completion of this important portion of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan. The Diamond Street Bike Path is an important connector for residents in North Redondo, Torrance and the South Bay to safely access Redondo Union High School, the Pier and the great beaches in Redondo Beach!
Beach Cities Health District (BCHD), utilizing a grant from Metro, is nearing completion on the Redondo Beach phase of the Diamond Street Bike & Pedestrian Path project. Here are some important updates regarding construction activities.
At the request of neighbors, we worked with the City of Redondo Beach to re-position the utility box that had been placed in the City–owned median on Diamond Street. It is now located on the sidewalk adjacent to the newly paved bike path.
In the next 7-10 days, our team will do the demolition, re-paving and striping of Diamond Street, which will call for a Traffic Control Plan during work hours Dec. 6-8, closing the easternmost northbound lane on Prospect Avenue (the far right or No. 2 lane).
Schedule update: December 6 – 12*:
December 6-7:
- Work will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude by 5 p.m. This will include the demolition and removal of the existing asphalt on Diamond St. Wednesday, followed by the delivery and paving of new asphalt Thursday.
- The City-approved traffic control plan begins during working hours, prohibiting northbound right turns and southbound left turns from Prospect Ave. onto Diamond St.
- The bike path will be closed Dec. 6-8.
December 8:
- Diamond Street remains closed for the completion of paving work.
December 11-12:
- Striping and signage (if not started/completed the previous week)
* – all dates are tentative/subject to change
Beach Cities Health District (BCHD), utilizing a grant from Metro, has been working on the Redondo Beach phase of the Diamond Street Bike & Pedestrian Path project. This update is for parents and student of nearby schools that may travel to/from school via the existing path (Beryl Heights Elementary, Parras Middle and Redondo Union HS are most affected).
This project has built a retaining wall allowing for expansion of the bike path and has installed bicycle video detection on the east side of Diamond Street (at Prospect Avenue), allowing cyclists to trigger the signal without having to get off their bikes to push the crosswalk button. New, energy-efficient streetlights will also be powered up in the bike path in the weeks ahead.
Originally scheduled to be completed in early October, the project has been delayed due to utility connections and unforeseen repairs to City infrastructure, including a storm drain that unexpectedly required extensive repairs and two new manholes authorized by the City.
As a result, we are letting you know about this updated schedule for work on the project* and days the bike path will be closed, potentially affecting your child as they travel to and from their campus:
- Sidewalk build Oct. 31 – Nov. 1; bike path will be closed
- Bike Path Paving Nov. 1; bike path will be closed
- Diamond St. paving Nov. 20 – Dec. 5 (likely to include more bike path closures)
- all dates are tentative/subject to change
Updates about the project will continue to be provided at www.bchd.org/bikepath.
We have built a retaining wall allowing for the widening of the bike path and have installed bicycle video detection on the east side of Diamond Street (at Prospect Avenue), allowing cyclists to trigger the signal without having to get off their bicycles to push the crosswalk button. Modern, energy-efficient streetlights will also be powered up in the bike path in the weeks ahead.
At the direction of the City of Redondo Beach, a utility box has been positioned in the City–owned median on Diamond Street. We are taking steps with the City to change out this equipment with a more slender version that will blend in with the surroundings as much as possible. New landscaping will also be added to the median in the next two weeks.
Originally scheduled to be completed in early October, the project has been delayed due to utility connections and unforeseen repairs to City infrastructure, including a storm drain that unexpectedly required extensive repairs and two new manholes authorized by the City. As a result, we are letting you know about this updated schedule for work on the project* – this information is important for parents whose children use the existing bike path to travel to and from their campus:
Sidewalk Closure: Oct. 31 – Nov. 1 (concrete pour 10/31) BIKE PATH WILL BE CLOSED
Bike Path Paving: Nov. 1 BIKE PATH WILL BE CLOSED
Diamond St. Paving: Expected between Nov. 20 – Dec. 5 with intermittent closures expected
* – all dates are tentative/subject to change
Also, on Wednesday, October 25, a concrete pour required more time than expected, leaving the worksite at approximately 5:30 p.m., later than the 5 p.m. work cut-off we have promised (but still ahead of the City’s permissible work time of 6 p.m.). This was an unexpected event and we apologize for the inconvenience.
The Diamond Street Bike & Pedestrian Path project is well underway. We have built a retaining wall that will allow the expansion of the bike path and have installed bicycle video detection on the east leg of the Diamond Street/Prospect Avenue intersection, which allows cyclists to trigger the signal without having to get off their bicycles to push the crosswalk button. Due to delays with utility connections, the final project completion date has been slightly pushed back. We will post updates to the schedule and expected completion date on this web page when they become available.
A question has been raised by a resident regarding the handling of soil at the Diamond Street Bike Path project. Our team has provided the following information:
The contractor is following standard best practices in stockpiling of clean quality soil at the vacant BCHD lot. The temporary soil stored at this site has been tested and determined to be ideal backfill material which does not require plastic lining underneath. Additionally, the geotechnical engineer has confirmed that plastic lining is not necessary to follow typical construction practices for dirt stockpiling.
The bike and pedestrian path from Beryl Street to Diamond Avenue – which contains the Diamond Street Bike Path project area – has been closed in both directions by the City of Torrance, which is working with Southern California Edison on a project not related to the Diamond Street Bike Path. This closure is for the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and residents. We will update this page when we have information about the re-opening of the bike lane.
Wednesday, August 30, the Diamond Street Bike Path construction team is scheduled to begin pouring concrete for the new wall beginning at 9 a.m. This work is expected to take three hours to complete and will involve multiple concrete trucks circulating to and from the work site, all carefully coordinated with proper traffic controls.
Wednesday, August 16, the Diamond Street Bike Path construction team is scheduled to begin pouring the concrete foundation for the retaining wall beginning at 9:00 a.m. This work is expected to take most of the day to complete and will involve multiple concrete trucks circulating to and from the work site, all carefully coordinated with proper traffic controls.
BCHD and Cornerstone Construction have been in regular contact with Public Works engineering inspectors from the City of Redondo Beach throughout this construction project and are complying with all city regulations. A geotechnical consultant has also certified the ground compaction and a licensed testing lab will be taking samples of the concrete to verify the PSI strength, all to ensure compliance with building codes and practices.
The retaining wall under construction is part of a built environment improvement project by BCHD (not deferred maintenance, as one neighbor has speculated). The wall is required due to the needed widening of the existing alley for a new two-way bike path. The only recommended design solution was to slightly cut into the existing hillside.
Safety & wellness have been a primary focus of this project from the start. The Beach Cities project team and Contractor have made safety for workers and neighbors its top priority and stressed that at ALL construction meetings. The project has not had a single safety-related incident at the worksite to date.
Here are facts regarding the recent grading and trenching at the site:
- The Contractor’s Site Safety consultant (certified Construction Health and Safety Technician/ OSHA) confirms the 1:1 excavated slopes are in compliance with the project’s Geotechnical Report recommendations and notes no other concerns.
- The grading of the hillside has been performed in accordance with a Licensed Geotechnical Engineer’s recommendation.
- The Geotechnical consultant for the project was onsite and had no corrective remarks for the excavated slope or wall footing trench.
- The current wall footing trench is 3’ 6” deep, less than the required 5’ 0” depth where shoring or other trench stabilization methods are required.
- This 3’ 6” trench depth conforms with the Project’s Contract/ Permitted drawings.
- The City’s Engineering Inspector has performed daily site visits, and there have been no correction notices issued or other safety concerns noted.
About the Diamond Street Bike Path Project
The cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach are prioritizing policies that help make the healthy choice the easy choice.
Where we live, work, and play influences the choices we make. Creating healthy Beach Cities means creating surroundings where it’s easy for residents to make the healthy choice — from providing easier access to grocery stores than fast food restaurants, to providing bike lanes with direct access to work, retail centers, beaches and parks. Cities can support the health and vitality of citizens by introducing policies that nudge people into eating better and moving more.
The Beach Cities have been able to secure more than $8.1 million in grants and funding for livability projects that help make active transportation easier.
What’s more, the improvements that make a community more walkable and bikeable tend to be long-lasting. Sidewalks and bike lanes endure for years — even decades — improving the community’s livability well into the future.
Redondo Beach Phase of the Diamond Street and Flagler Lane Bike & Pedestrian Path
Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) is working with the Cities of Redondo Beach to implement a bicycle and pedestrian improvement project that runs adjacent to its Prospect Campus. The Diamond Street and Flagler Lane Bike & Pedestrian Path will provide an important connection between commercial, residential and recreational areas within the region. The new path will add bicycle facilities, sidewalks, and improved lighting to enhance safety and accessibility and promote active transportation. This project is funded by a Measure M grant from Los Angeles County Metro.
The Diamond Street & Flagler Lane Bike and Pedestrian Path Project is under Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program (MSP) projects for the South Bay Subregion for the Transportation System & Mobility Improvement Program. The project was recommended to Metro for funding by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) in February 2019. The project will add a bike path, pedestrian infrastructure and improved lighting and safety enhancements to improve accessibility, promote active transportation and enhance multi-modal mobility options. The City of Torrance is not moving forward with their portion of the project at this time. Construction will only take place in the City of Redondo Beach.
Project Scope:
The Redondo Beach phase of the project will install a Class I bike path from the Torrance border southwest to Diamond Street. The bike route will also utilize Class III sharrows (used in situations where cyclists and drivers must coexist in the same lane) on the Diamond Street cul-de-sac ending at Prospect Avenue. The project also includes:
- New 6-foot retaining wall and regrading of the hillside adjacent to the Class I bike path in Redondo Beach
- Street and pedestrian lighting
- New asphalt paving
- Bicycle video detection sensors at the traffic signal
- New landscaping and trees in the Diamond Street median and existing walkway
Project Updates:
- Construction for the Redondo Phase of the project is expected to start July 10, 2023 and expected to be completed by end of September 2023. Official dates and schedule will be posted and updated on this page .
- Work hours will be Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- For safety reasons, the pathway is expected to be closed during construction, regular users of the existing pathway are encouraged to find alternate routes.
- Construction parking and storage will take place on the BCHD campus, not in the surrounding neighborhoods.
About our Construction Partner
Cornerstone Construction Group, Inc. is a family owned and operated company, with over 38 years’ experience, located right in the heart of Redondo Beach. A medical and commercial contractor, Cornerstone has exhibited their love for the community by giving back. Some of the community projects they’ve been involved in include heading up the volunteer effort to restore the Morrell House Museum at Dominguez Park on Flagler Lane as well as the repair of the Queen Anne Home. Cornerstone also worked with the Chamber of Commerce to create a location to receive the beautiful Meistrell Memorial statue at Seaside Lagoon. In 2006, Cornerstone also led the effort to bring together the “best of the best” around the South Bay by building a home for the injured police officer for the ABC “Extreme Makeover-Home Edition” show.”
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