If you’ve walk along the northern beaches of Santa Monica recently, you’ve probably noticed the construction taking place along the walking and bike path, known as the Marvin Braude Bike Trail. This is part of the North Beach Trail Improvement Project, put on by the City of Santa Monica.

The project started in September 2019 and is set to finish in November 2020. The goal of this renovation is to enhance the safety and mobility for all visitors, and to provide the Ocean Front Walk with all-new lighting, pavement, and seating. The project is being executed in stages, and signage for pedestrians and cyclists have been provided to inform bystanders of upcoming closures and detours.

The project is currently ahead of schedule, and Phase 2 began only two months after the plan’s announcement. From Bay Street, to Muscle Beach, a twelve foot pedestrian path that’s adjacent to the twenty foot long bike path, will continue the seaward walkway from the southern city limit. Muscle Beach and surrounding Ocean Front Walk businesses such as Big Dean’s remain open during this construction period.

A survey was taken in 2017 which stated that fifty percent of those who participated claimed the trail was overcrowded; twenty-six percent of participants were in fear of getting wiped out while crossing, riding, or walking. The project, with an estimated cost of $12.3 million dollars, will improve two miles of the North Beach Trail, from the Pier to the northern city limits, and upgrade a mile of the Ocean Front Walk pedestrian path.