PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – As part of the City of Long Beach’s ongoing effort to provide COVID-19 support to local businesses, installation has begun for an Atlantic Avenue Open Streets location, located between East Claiborne Drive and East Armando Drive, offering outdoor space for businesses to utilize for dining and other approved services.

"It's critical that we continue to do all we can to support local businesses so that when we beat COVID-19, the Long Beach economy will come back better than ever," said Mayor Robert Garcia. "This expansion of our Open Streets Program allows us to work collaboratively with our community to provide a safe way to keep business thriving."

Vehicular traffic is limited temporarily to one lane in each direction on Atlantic Avenue between East Claiborne Drive and East Armando Drive to accommodate the Open Streets location. Businesses will utilize sidewalks on the east side of Atlantic Avenue to expand business space. The west side of Atlantic Avenue will feature angled parking to increase parking spaces. The Open Streets installation is expected to be completed by middle of next week, barring weather delays.

The Open Streets Program was approved by the Long Beach City Council in June 2020 in response to State Health Orders closing indoor dining and other services and industries due to COVID-19. To date, over 100 parklet locations have been installed throughout the city. Businesses interested in operating a temporary parklet or sidewalk dining space may submit a Parklet Application. Detailed information on how to participate is also available on the Open Streets Business webpage.

“I am happy to see the Open Streets Program expand and allow for Atlantic Avenue businesses to utilize public space to open and serve our community,” said Long Beach City Councilmember Al Austin. “We will continue to look at innovative ways to improve safety and help our small businesses at the same time."

Nearby residents and businesses were notified of this project by door hangers and flyers. A community meeting was also held to gather feedback from residents and business owners.

The Atlantic Avenue Open Streets location will continue until outdoor physically-distanced services are no longer required. The location will be evaluated on a bi-weekly basis to continuously monitor traffic impacts and public safety. Possible modifications may be needed to address any specific issues during this pilot project.

About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly rated school district, Long Beach Airport and the Port of Long Beach. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas and bike paths.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Public Works
The Long Beach Public Works Department strives to operate, preserve, and enhance the City's physical infrastructure and transportation systems, as well as preserve the upkeep of the cityscape with a robust refuse and recycling service that serves more than 120,000 residential and commercial customers. The Department provides a variety of community services including the repair, rehabilitation and general upkeep of City streets, trees, sidewalks, and City structures. Public Works also provides emergency support services throughout the City.

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