From Recovery to Ribbon Cutting: The Beach Bike Path is Officially Back
Ribbon cutting ceremony at Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path.
Summer is here, and getting to the beaches just got a little bit easier! Just a few weeks ago, SAFE announced the reopening of the Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path after it was destroyed by severe storm damage two years ago.
This week, that milestone became official.
Community members, advocates, project partners, and local leaders gathered by the beach for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the full completion of the Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path realignment project near Dockweiler Beach. Hosted by Supervisor Holly Mitchell, the Press Conference highlighted the collaborative work of Public Works, SAFE, and Biking While Black to get this project funded and constructed. Reopening this fun bike path ON TIME and UNDER BUDGET shows that strong partnerships and community advocacy can make long-awaited improvements into reality.
The ribbon-cutting served as a reminder that infrastructure can sometimes be boring, but this time infrastructure was very SEXY. Safe, connected paths are essential public spaces that support healthy communities, sustainable transportation, and access to the outdoors.
Signs showing the damaged trail before realignment at the press conference.
For more than two years, a damaged one-mile stretch of the path forced cyclists, runners, and families off the coast's most iconic beachfront trail. Today, that disruption is finally over. The newly completed alignment moves the path farther from the shore, creating a more resilient path designed to better withstand king tides, future coastal storms, and erosion.
Signs showing the new path after realignment at the press conference.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees joined Supervisor Holly Mitchell, her team, and Public Works to enjoy the smooth new path firsthand on a community bike. Together, the riders rode along the coast, feeling the morning sun and cool ocean breeze. Riding with local leaders and the construction teams who brought this path to life reminded us all that at the center of every infrastructure project are the people who use them. Trails and bike paths are more than just transportation facilities to get to destinations; they are safe, accessible spaces where communities can connect, recreate, and travel.
Community bike road along the new and improved bike path.
Projects like this do not happen on their own. They happen because community members speak up, advocates stay engaged, and public officials follow through. The completion of the Marvin Braude Beach Bike Path demonstrates what is possible when those efforts come together around a shared goal.
Pictured from left to right: Yolanda Davis-Overstreet, Founder of Biking While Black; Director for the LA County Department of Public Works, Mark Pestrella; 2nd District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell; and Damian Kevitt, Executive Director of Streets Are For Everyone.
We are grateful to Supervisor Holly Mitchell and her office for helping secure the funding necessary to move this project forward, and to the many advocates and community partners who kept attention on the need to restore this important connection. Special thanks once again to Lucy and Friends of the Jungle, whose persistence helped ensure this project remained a priority.
The ribbon has been cut, the barriers are gone, and Angelenos can once again enjoy a continuous connection along one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the region.
See you on the path.