Frequently Asked Questions
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What is MOVE Culver City?
MOVE Culver City is an initiative to create mobility options for everyone. MOVE Culver City is a city-led effort that envisions a reimagining of our streets as public spaces and prioritizes moving people more efficiently and safely in the design of the street. The project’s goal is to help ensure that bus passengers, cyclists, and emergency vehicles will all benefit from increased speeds, ease of travel, and reliability of sustainable connections to key destinations and regional transit connections.
After the implementation of the Downtown Corridor pilot in November 2021, the City conducted a year-long pilot evaluation period that involved extensive data analysis as well as collection of public feedback. Following this pilot evaluation, the City Council directed staff to modify the project’s design. On September 11, 2023, the City Council voted 3-2 to ratify plans to modify the MOVE Culver City pilot project and found the Modified Project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In October 2023, “Friends and Families for MOVE Culver City” filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the City’s approved modifications. On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, the Court issued a Statement of Decision finding in favor of the City on all causes of action. You can read the decision in full on the City’s website.
During the lawsuit, the City delayed work on the Downtown Corridor with the goal of aligning the final decision of the trial court with the start of pre-construction activities for the Modified Project. Once the legal challenge was resolved, the City proceeded with construction.
What’s different about the new design?
The new design restores a second lane of vehicle traffic where it is feasible and needed to address traffic congestion. To fit a second vehicle lane, separate bus and bike lanes have been combined into shared bus/bike lanes.
The Western Segment, completed in 2024, extended the shared bus/bike lanes 1,500 feet east of their previous endpoint at Washington/La Cienega Ave to Washington/La Cienega Blvd. In 2025, the Eastern Segment will be built, extending the lanes 1,500 feet further to the city boundary at Washington/Fairfax. Bike lanes will also be built on one block of Adams Blvd to seamlessly connect with existing bike lanes in the City of Los Angeles.
Many other changes were implemented as part of this project. Read on to find out more.
Why does this project use plastic instead of concrete?
The first version of MOVE Culver City was a pilot project. It used temporary materials like paint, wooden platforms, and plastic posts because the City Council wanted to test the concept of mobility lanes for improved sustainable mobility options. This method of roadway construction is called quick-build, and it is used because compared to permanent materials like concrete, it is less expensive, easy to modify, and quicker to build. In 2023, after an evaluation of the first pilot, the City Council directed staff to conduct another pilot with a modified design. This pilot will run for two years and will also use temporary materials. The data collected during both pilot projects will ultimately be used to inform a future permanent condition.
There are trade-offs to using the quick-build method. Paint and plastic have short lifespans and require more maintenance than concrete. Our team has received feedback regarding the aesthetics of the project. The painted curb extensions and plastic lane separators are not intended to last forever. The project team worked hard to find a barrier treatment for the Modified Project that maximizes safety, durability, visibility, and aesthetics. This pilot helps the community and its leaders make informed choices about a future permanent design.
Will parking be affected?
Most existing parking spots were retained. There are around 4,000 publicly accessible parking spots within one block of the MOVE Culver City corridor, with around 75% off-street (in lots or garages) and the remainder on-street. No off-street parking spaces will be impacted by the Modified Project, and care has been taken to limit any impact to on-street parking near the corridor.
Stopping or standing in shared bus/bike lanes is never allowed. Culver City PD actively patrols the project area, and drivers who park illegally in shared bus/bike lanes will be ticketed. In early 2025, the City will install bus-mounted cameras to allow for photo enforcement of illegal parking in shared bus/bike lanes and at bus stops.
For pick-up and drop-off in the Downtown area, there are short-term loading zones on almost every block. Look for these signs to show you where to turn.
How will the changes affect traffic signal synchronization?
Traffic signal work was delayed due to material shortages. Once the traffic signal work is completed in early 2025, the City will reconfigure the signals to adapt to the new traffic patterns. This process requires observation of the new traffic patterns, so it may take a few weeks to see improvements in signal synchronization.
What will happen to bus/bike platforms?
The new design will restore a second lane of vehicle traffic where it is feasible and needed to address traffic congestion. To fit a second vehicle lane, separate bus and bike lanes will be combined into shared bus/bike lanes. Most bus/bike boarding platforms will be removed as buses will be able to stop at the curb. In the Arts District, three existing platforms will remain, and one new platform will be installed. These platforms will prevent buses from having to pull to the curb to pick up and drop off passengers, speeding up transit and allowing for more parking spots near bus stops.
How do I ride in a shared bus/bike lane?
In short – in whichever way you feel most comfortable.
If a bus is behind you, you do not have to pull over. Buses will slow down and follow at a safe distance. If possible, the bus operator may merge into the adjacent vehicle lane to pass. A bus operator will never attempt to pass a bike while in the bus lane.
If a bus stops to load or unload passengers, you should wait behind the bus. Most stops are brief, and you and the bus will soon be back on your way.
What will happen to the flexible posts?
The Modified Downtown Corridor project will include several changes to lane delineation.
Vertical delineators (sometimes called bollards or flexible posts) and horizontal lane separators are used to keep everyone in their lane. These tools enhance the safety and functionality of shared bus/bike lanes by preventing unauthorized vehicles from entering. In case of emergency or obstruction, they are spaced widely enough allow buses, bikes, and emergency vehicles to pass through at low speeds, but are close enough to prevent vehicles from entering during normal circumstances.
During the first pilot, the project team received feedback regarding the vertical delineators used. The team has developed a revised design that maximizes safety, functionality, and aesthetics. Rather than the multiple types of delineators currently used, the Modified Corridor will feature only one model of vertical delineator and one model of horizontal delineator. Vertical elements will be spaced farther apart (30 feet instead of 5-11 feet) and will be shorter (28 inches instead of 36 inches) than the current implementation. Horizontal elements known as zebras will be installed in between vertical delineators to prevent vehicles from encroaching in the gaps. This treatment will be applied consistently throughout the Modified Project corridor, resulting in a better user experience.
Before
After (Render)
What will happen to bike lanes?
Protected bike lanes on Culver Blvd and Washington Blvd will be removed. In their place, the Modified Downtown Corridor project will have shared bus/bike lanes similar to those that are currently in place on Washington between Ince and Robertson/Higuera. On most of the corridor, the shared bus/bike lanes will feature vertical and horizontal lane separators to keep cars out.
The decision to recommend shared bus/bike lanes for the Modified Corridor was not taken lightly, but ultimately it was informed by the fact that the existing project contains several sections of shared bus/bike lanes (both protected and unprotected) and that in almost three years of operation, no incidents or conflicts have been reported between buses and bikes in those segments. The buses that run in shared bus/bike lanes are driven by professional bus operators who are trained to safely share space with bikes.
Some people have reported issues seeing or using bike signals at some locations on the corridor. At those locations, we will be adding smaller, human-scale “bike buddy” signals at the near side of the intersection to better communicate when it is safe to proceed.
What will happen to blue-painted curb extensions and asphalt art?
Asphalt art located inside curb extensions will be removed. The intended life expectancy of these elements is one year. Most existing curb extensions will be retained in slightly different shapes and sizes to accommodate the new lane configuration. They will be painted with a solid blue coat to demarcate them from the surrounding roadway and lined with vertical delineators to prevent illegal parking.
The paint that will be applied to the Modified Corridor is slightly different from what is currently installed and was chosen by the City following a successful test of over two years with minimal fading, chipping, or peeling.
I have another question about the design.
You can view the Modified Corridor plans. The contractor will use these plans to implement the project, so they are the most accurate source of information about the new design. If you have other questions, please reach us on the MOVE Culver City contact page and we will be happy to assist you.