Rosecrans Avenue Widening project strides to decrease traffic

By Catelyn Dileva

Staff Writer

The Rosecrans Avenue Widening project, which began on Jan. 18, expands from Redondo Avenue to the Manhattan Beach Gateway and is intended to widen the streets and decrease the amount of traffic in the area.

The project will affect mostly businesses around Rosecrans but not necessarily neighborhoods in the surrounding area, Head of the Rosecrans Ave Widening Project Michael Guerrero said. The construction project will only take 45 days on other streets, according to Guerrero. The project will help improve areas near Rosecrans, like the mall complexes and business buildings surrounding Rosecrans.

“This will definitely impact Manhattan Beach but in a good way,” Guerrero said. “It is going to benefit Manhattan Beach and create less traffic.”

Under the widening project’s contractor, KTB Construction, access along portions of the street may be limited due to construction. Parking prohibitions will be posted 72 hours prior to street or parking closure. The contractor has created a more detailed schedule since the construction started, and residents or businesses within the affected construction areas will be notified as the work progresses.

After the project is finished, it will affect the parking in near businesses and complexes on Rosecrans. Besides not being able to park 72 hours after the construction, no other inconveniences will be made because of the project, Guerrero stated.

“One great benefit of this particular construction project is how quick and simple it is,” Guerrero said. “The project is only taking until the end of February and then it is finished which is great because it won’t be causing traffic for months and in the end the new streets and avenue will definitely be more accessible than they were before.”

The project originated as an idea in 1998 and is finally being completed in 2016 because of obstacles like funding, agreeing on what the final project should look like, and working with the utility companies. Along the way there have been various obstacles to overcome in order to create the project, including obtaining the project funding which came from the City, Los Angeles County, Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the commercial property owners.

“The KTB Construction team and Manhattan Beach City Council has worked very hard building up to this construction project,” Guerrero said. “It is exciting that it is finally happening and almost coming to an end at the beginning of March and I hope that the project ends up being a success and helping the Manhattan Beach residents.”