Long Beach to add traffic diversions at Shoreline Aquatic Park

The California Coastal Commission, on Dec. 11, 2019, approved the city of Long Beach’s request to install 32 LED bollards along public pathways at Shoreline Aquatic Park. Bollards are short posts designed to divert traffic to another area (or prevent traffic from entering a specific space). Each bollard would be 44 inches tall.

Shoreline Aquatic Park is located near Pierpoint Landing, Pine Avenue Pier, Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village and other commercial/recreational uses of the Downtown Long Beach waterfront.

The bollards will be installed within a public park located on the peninsula next to Queensway Bay and Rainbow Harbor, according to Coastal Commissions staff.

Construction activities will include trenching, grass removal and replanting. Coastal Commission staff stated no trees would be removed or replaced as part of the bollard installation.

Public access to the park and marina area, in general, will not be precluded because of the project.

“The proposed project is being constructed within a public park managed by the city,” Coastal Commission staff stated. “Public access is available from the adjacent visitor-serving area, public parking lot, and regional bike path and along a perimeter path around the exterior of the park and additional interior pathways.”

The city must also take steps to limit discharge of construction materials, debris and waste into the water.

“The proposed development includes construction within approximately 50 feet of coastal waters. The storage or placement of construction materials, debris or waste in a location where it could be discharged into coastal waters would result in an adverse effect on the marine environment,” Coastal Commission staff stated in a report to commissioners. “The commission imposes [a special condition], which requires, but is not limited to, appropriate storage and handling of construction equipment and materials to minimize the potential of pollutants to enter coastal waters.”