In response to the community’s concerns about the rapid rise in the number of e-bikes and other cyclists in Hermosa Beach, the City initiated Bike Smart Hermosa, a safety campaign to help prevent cycling accidents and injuries. The safety campaign includes engineering enhancements, traffic enforcement, and educational outreach on cycling safely.

The Strand Pedestrian Safety Pilot Project is one of those engineering enhancements. The project is designed to enforce the existing City ordinance requiring cyclists to dismount and walk on the most heavily trafficked section of the Strand, between 11^th and 14^th streets. This area is where pedestrians cross the Strand when traveling to and from Pier Plaza, the Hermosa Beach Pier, and the beach.

The Strand Pedestrian Safety Pilot Project includes the installation of water-filled barriers and additional flashing lights on the Strand to alert cyclists to the “walk only” zone between 11^th and 14^th streets on the Strand. The City’s Public Works team also painted new warnings on the Strand to make it clear that the area is a “walk only” zone. These treatments will remain in place on a 24/7 basis while the City evaluates the effectiveness of the pilot project.

Why is the City Launching the Pilot Project?

The Strand is one of Hermosa’s most treasured – and most frequently visited – assets. Some 3,500 cyclists travel along it every day, with about 350 bicycles and e-bikes per hour on busy days. A recent visual survey found only 15 percent of cyclists on the Strand dismounted and walked between 11^th and 14^th streets. It also found that 84 percent of cyclists exceeded the posted speed limit of 8 miles per hour on the Strand. In 2022 alone, the Police department conducted over 4,400 traffic stops and issued over 1,500 citations.

The City has installed engineering enhancements to enforce the “walk only” zone to protect the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the Strand. To keep everyone safe on the Strand, the City also urges cyclists to obey the ordinances requiring the following:

• All motors to be turned off on e-bikes and e-scooters when on the Strand;
• Cyclists traveling on the Strand shall not exceed 8 miles per hour;
• Cyclists must dismount and walk bikes and e-bikes on the Strand between 11^th and 14^th streets;   
• Cyclists under the age of 18 must wear helmets – although helmets are strongly recommended for all ages.

What are the Next Steps?

City staff will evaluate the effectiveness of the Strand Pedestrian Safety Pilot Project to determine if these engineering enhancements increase compliance with the City’s existing ordinance requiring cyclists to walk their bicycles and e-bikes in the “walk only” zone on the Strand. The current ordinance, Chapter 12.20, Section F, states that the Strand walkway between 11^th Street and 14^th Street is a walk only zone. The Police department will continue its enforcement on the Strand, but it is not the ultimate solution to this community safety issue. The community may provide its input about the project to Andrew Nguyen, at 310-318-0212.