City of Long Beach Breaks Ground on Studebaker Road Transformation Project

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PRESS RELEASE

Above from left: Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw, Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr, U.S. Congressman Robert Garcia, Mayor Rex Richardson, Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan, Acting Director of Public Works Joshua Hickman, Public Works' Transportation Management Bureau Manager Mouhsen Habib, and Assistant City Manager April Walker ceremoniously shovel dirt at the Studebaker Road Transformation Project groundbreaking ceremony held Sept. 23, 2025.
Photo courtesy of Dorian Bonner, Office of Congressman Robert Garcia.

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach today celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Studebaker Road Transformation Project, a historic initiative that will reimagine just over five miles of roadway from Second Street to Carson Street. Spanning three Council Districts, the project represents the City's longest corridor transformation to date and will deliver significant safety, mobility, connectivity and sustainability upgrades for the community.

The Sept. 23 ceremony featured remarks by Mayor Rex Richardson, Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan, Fourth District Councilmember Daryl Supernaw, Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr and other City leaders, as well as Congressman Robert Garcia.

"The Studebaker Road Transformation Project is a once-in-a-generation investment in our neighborhoods and our future," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "This project has been years in the making, and today's groundbreaking represents the culmination of hard work and persistence by our community and partners. By improving safety, accessibility, and mobility, we are creating a corridor that better serves our residents, students, and visitors, while connecting people to schools, parks, businesses, and community spaces. This project will transform how people move through our city and help build a more resilient future."

The project will deliver a wide range of upgrades, including resurfaced roadways, new and more efficient traffic signals, rapid flashing beacons near schools and redesigned intersections for enhanced safety. Accessibility and mobility will be significantly improved through ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps, as well as protected bike lanes and shared-use paths. Public transit upgrades will include new shaded bus shelters, boarding islands and shortened crossing distances for easier and safer access. Sustainability measures are also central to the project; more than 100 new trees and 2,000 shrubs will be planted, new landscaped medians added and a stormwater biofiltration feature designed to improve water quality will be installed. In addition, the project will bring new fiber-optic lines that will close a significant gap in the City's current fiber loop, expanding high-speed connectivity for community facilities the City's Citywide Fiber Network Infrastructure Initiative.

As part of the project, the current standard bike lane along Loynes Drive from Studebaker Road to Pacific Coast Highway will be upgraded with protective barriers and delineators, creating a much safer and more comfortable experience for riders.

"Studebaker Road is the gateway to a large part of our city connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks and businesses across East Long Beach. It is exciting to see this project breaking ground," said Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan. "When complete, we'll have a smooth road that is safer for everyone."

"The improvements to Studebaker Road will not only improve traffic safety, but also enhance access to Cal State Long Beach, El Dorado Park and many of our community's most popular destinations," said Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw. "This project reflects years of planning, and I'm proud to see it moving forward."

"This project is about more than infrastructure-it's about investing in the safety, health, and quality of life of our neighborhoods," said Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr. "By prioritizing connectivity and sustainability, we are building a corridor that our community and future generations will be proud of."

Surveying and other preconstruction activities will begin in September 2025, with active construction expected to begin in late fall 2025 and conclude in fall 2027. More information about construction will be announced in the coming weeks and any significant public facing impacts from this construction will be communicated in advance. The multi-year effort is expected to cost $64.4 million and is funded by several state and federal sources, including a $1 million Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed grant earmark by U.S. Congressman Robert Garcia, as well as local City funds including Measure A, Measure R, Proposition A, Proposition C, AB 2766, Gas Tax and Traffic Impact Fees.

"The Studebaker Road Transformation Project is the longest corridor improvement in Long Beach history," said Joshua Hickman, Acting Director of Public Works. "By integrating safety, sustainability and digital infrastructure, we're modernizing this corridor in a way that not only improves mobility but also supports a connected, future-ready Long Beach."

This project is part of a series of Complete Streets improvements, an approach that prioritizes safe and accessible travel for all modes of transportation, not just vehicles. The project also reflects priorities outlined in the City's Safe Streets Long Beach Action Plan, Pavement Management Plan and Bicycle Master Plan and is included in Elevate '28, a comprehensive five-year infrastructure investment plan to revitalize parks and community facilities while improving accessibility and multimodal transportation throughout Long Beach. For more information about Elevate '28, visit lbelevate28.com.

"The Studebaker Road Transformation Project is going to make our roads safer, communities healthier and neighbors more connected. I am proud to see the hard work the City of Long Beach is implementing on their longest corridor transformation project to date," said Congressman Robert Garcia. "I will continue to advocate for more federal resources so that our cities can reimagine infrastructure, improve mobility and enhance quality of life for the community."

The Studebaker Road Transformation Project joins other major corridor improvements such as the recently completed Artesia Great Boulevard Project and the Market Street Improvements Project.

More information about the Studebaker Road Transformation Project, including project concept renderings and timeline updates, is available at longbeach.gov/studebakerproject.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Department of Public Works visit longbeach.gov/pw and follow @lbpublicworks on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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