To the Editor:
At the Culver City Council meeting on Monday night, June 22, supporters of “Save Overland” unrolled scrolls of paper representing what they claimed were 3,400 signatures on their petition. This might be impressive if their campaign were not built on misinformation and exaggeration.
One leader declared that “160 parking spaces are being eliminated.” In fact, the project will remove 44 parking spaces on the west side of the street. Another public comment warned of cars “needlessly idling in traffic for triple and quadruple the time,” leading to increased exhaust emissions — but no through traffic lanes are being eliminated. Two through lanes will be maintained in both directions. Another common claim is that left turns are being eliminated. However, in January 2026, City Council unanimously selected “Option B” for the Better Overland project, which preserves the existing center turn lanes for left turns and driveway access in order to maintain traffic flow.
One speaker claimed that 90% of the people she talked to had no idea this project was in the works. The general message of the campaign seems to be that the Better Overland project was designed without community input and that City Council is now turning a deaf ear to its constituents.
That is not how this project evolved.
City efforts to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in Culver City started many years ago. The City first adopted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan in November 2010, when Christopher Armenta was Mayor. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee was formed in 2016. It helped develop the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan, which City Council adopted in June 2020, when Goran Eriksson was Mayor ((https://www.culvercity.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/documents/public-works/mobility/2021-10-cc-bikepedplan-app2020-v10-final.pdf). As stated in the introduction, “This Plan continues to build upon a longstanding effort to make Culver City a place known for its extensive bicycle and pedestrian network and as an active, healthy place to live, work, and play.” Over these years, there have been dozens of opportunities for members of the public to attend committee and Council meetings where bicycle and pedestrian safety, street design, and grant funding have been discussed.
In regard to Overland Avenue in particular, Culver City received approval in 2021 for Overland bike lane and pedestrian improvements using funds from LA County Measure M, the ½-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2016 to fund transportation projects. The Culver City FY 2021-2022 budget also included $780,000 for the design of the Fox Hills Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan and Bikeways Project. In March 2023, the City received an $842,496 Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Program grant from LA Metro for the design of what was then called the Overland-Playa Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements Project. “The goal of both projects is to deliver safety, mobility, and traffic calming improvements on the Overland Ave corridor and throughout the Fox Hills neighborhood, particularly for vulnerable roadway users such as pedestrians and bicyclists,” according to the May 28, 2024 staff report.
The two projects were combined and renamed Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills in order to increase the project’s competitiveness for a California Transportation Commission Active Transportation Program construction grant.
In preparation to apply for this grant, the City conducted extensive community outreach beginning in April 2024, with 12 events and committee meetings held between April 10 and May 16. Residents and businesses on Overland received individual notices. Outreach events were advertised using the City’s email system, GovDelivery, and posted on social media. There was an online feedback portal, and flyers with a QR code were placed at every intersection inviting the public to fill out a one-minute survey on their experience walking, driving, using a wheelchair, or biking. Staff ultimately received more than 950 survey responses and more than 160 submissions on the webpage.
City Council approved the conceptual plan for the entire Better Overland and Safer Fox Hills project on May 28, 2024, and authorized applying for the ATP grant, which required local matching funds.
An April 2026 letter to the editors of local newspapers claims the project “was halted in 2024 after significant community opposition.” (https://www.culvercrescent.com/dear-culver-city-better-overland-ignores-how-the-street-actually-works/) This is untrue. The project was simply delayed because it did not receive the ATP construction grant. Staff then divided the project into smaller sections that would be eligible for a variety of other funding sources.
Beginning in June 2025, the City engaged in additional community outreach to inform and engage residents and other community stakeholders about two options for the section of the Overland project that spans Culver Boulevard to the Ballona Creek bridge. These included meetings at the Senior Center, Veterans Memorial Park, and Windsor Fountains Condominiums. The majority preferred Option B, which retains the center lanes for left turns and driveways. This option was approved unanimously by the City Council on January 26, 2026.
Option A retained all existing on-street parking but removed the left-turn lanes. Option B involves removal of 44 parking spaces on the west side of Overland. According to the project website, “City staff performed a parking study on this portion of Overland Ave, including intersecting side streets. The study revealed that in areas where parking is proposed to be removed or reduced, adequate parking was available on side streets, typically a 2-4 minute walk away.” As this portion of the project moves closer to construction, staff will evaluate parking regulations on Overland and intersecting side streets and recommend mitigation measures to City Council. After discussions with Grace Lutheran Church, the project also will provide new loading and blue zones on Franklin Avenue and Farragut Drive to support church operations, including Meals on Wheels.
Opponents claim the project violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. This is false. By law, all public infrastructure projects must comply with the ADA. City staff would not have presented any design that did not meet ADFA requirements. Better Overland will improve curb ramps and add new high-visibility crosswalks. In response to community concerns about curb accessibility, staff has revised the island design protecting the bike lane to include 3- to 5-foot-wide gaps at regular intervals. These gaps will allow people parked adjacent to the bike lane to load and unload without having to step over the island.
It is frankly upsetting to see “Save Overland” organizers frightening elderly people, telling Rotary Plaza residents that there will be nowhere for their caregivers and visitors to park. This senior living community is located south of Ballona Creek and is not even included in the project phase currently under discussion.
For years, residents have requested a safe way to access the Julian Dixon Public lLibrary, one of the busiest branches in the LA County public library system. The project includes adding a crosswalk with a pedestrian-activated signal. Currently there is no safe way for library patrons — including children, seniors, and wheelchair users — to cross Overland, where driver speeds can exceed 40 mph. This seems like a straightforward safety improvement for the hundreds of residents living in Carlson Park and along Overland. However, opponents claim it will cause sleep disruption and ruin the quality of life for residents living in nearby condos, even though the library is not open during the hours most people are sleeping.
I am a 73-year-old homeowner who was fortunate to be able to make a down payment on a house in Carlson Park when I moved to Culver City in 1998. I do not have children of my own, but I believe climate change is an existential threat to humanity, and that each one of us has a moral responsibility to do what we can to reduce our climate impact on behalf of today’s young people and future generations. I bought an electric-assist tricycle in order to decrease my car use. However, nearly all my errands require me to head south on Overland. I am one of those people who find it too dangerous to ride in the current traffic but would use a protected bike lane.
Bike lane advocates do not expect everyone to start riding a bike. We do believe we should make it safe enough that people who want to use alternative forms of mobility are able to do so, taking their cars off the road and decreasing congestion for those who must drive.
For those people who still care about facts, I hope this letter has been helpful. I serve on the Planning Commission, but these comments reflect my personal opinion only.
Sincerely yours,
Jeanne T. Black, PhD, MBA
