Sepulveda Safety Improvements Targeted for Manhattan Beach
Mar 28, 2026 08:54AM ● By Dave Fratello
In May 2025, soon after the third fatality on Sepulveda Blvd. in six months, the Manhattan Beach city council ordered staff to prepare a comprehensive report on possible safety measures for the state highway.
Thursday afternoon, an initial report, with dozens of options, was presented to the Parking and Public Improvements Commission, a first step before a planned May 5 presentation to the city council.
Any effort to carry out changes on Sepulveda requires coordination with and approval by Caltrans, the state agency with authority over the highway.
Although between 41,000-56,000 cars travel through Manhattan Beach on Sepulveda each day, and the recent fatalities have drawn widespread attention, fewer than 10 members of the public attended the PPIC meeting. Some who did attend complained of lackluster notice.
City Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet told the commission that his group has been meeting with Caltrans every three weeks since the mandate from council. They've operated as a task force to identify more than 40 potential safety "countermeasures," which Zandvliet outlined Thursday. The measures fall roughly into five categories:
Some will be physical changes that drivers will notice immediately, once implemented: new "channelizing" islands and turn restrictions to cut down on risky maneuvers, high‑visibility lane markings, resurfaced pavement and upgraded lighting.
Commissioner Stefan Kampe said, "When I looked at the safety measures, I scratched my head. What safety measures are there that can really help us reduce the speed?"
The recommendations include new speed‑feedback signs (which flash to tell drivers they're going too fast), stepped‑up police enforcement and regular DUI and safety checkpoints.
Lt. Kelly Benjamin of MBPD's traffic bureau said that patrol cars do go out frequently to Sepulveda to conduct traffic and speed enforcement operations, and the "mere presence of flashing lights slows everybody down," but things soon return to normal.
"So we have been unsuccessful in solving the problem, but we continually address the problem," Lt. Benjamin said.
"Speed safety cameras" (SSCs) drew a lot of attention at the meeting as a promising technology. Two types of cameras can either detect speeding while it's happening, or track a vehicle from "point to point" and establish that it must have been speeding in between those points. Drivers can be ticketed based on the cameras' findings.
Seven California cities have legislative approval to test SSCs during a 5-year pilot program. Los Angeles recently approved 125 cameras, while other SoCal cities in the pilot include Glendale and Long Beach. Malibu was added to the original 6-city pilot by later legislation.
Lt. Benjamin said that she had personally requested that Manhattan Beach be considered for addition to the program, and the PPIC voted Thursday to urge city council and state legislators to get the city involved.
Jim Savela, father of Ford Savela, a Mira Costa senior who died in a collision on Sepulveda in early 2025, urged the city to consider pairing up with other neighboring cities in a joint bid to get speed cameras installed for long stretches of the highway. (Sepulveda Blvd. is called Pacific Coast Highway outside of Manhattan Beach.)
While those speed cameras are new to California, commissioner Kampe said that he had lived in Germany 25 years ago, and found out they had such a system in place then. "I did go past one of these cameras, and two police officers showed up two days later at my front door," Kampe recalled.
The speed limit on Sepulveda is 35 mph, a figure recently revisited and kept in place by Caltrans after a 2023 study. Although drivers' speeds tend to run slightly higher, Caltrans – which has authority over the state highway – has opted not to increase the speed limit, recognizing that driveways, pedestrian activity and other factors could make a higher limit, like 40 or 45 mph, unsafe.
If there were a movement to try to lower the speed limit to 30 mph, Zandvliet explained, California traffic laws could prevent that, as the speed limit must be set "so that you do not make violators out of most of the people on the street."
Lt. Benjamin said if the limit were somehow shifted to 30 mph, an unintended consequence might be that e-bikes would be allowed to ride on Sepulveda. They are now prohibited with the 35 mph limit.
O'Neill asked whether a request could be made to state officials to revise the light schedules outside of the busy 7:30am-5:30pm range, speculating that more red lights along Sepulveda might have slowed or stopped some of the drivers involved in last year's tragic fatal crashes.
Savela seemed to concur, echoing O'Neill's description of Sepulveda as a "freeway" or even "like a race track" late at night, offering hope that a "traffic light timing issue ... probably could do something to help curtail speeding in the off hours."
The discussion evolved toward the idea of synchronizing lights through the city at the speed limit during off hours. Signs could be posted noting that lights are set for 35 mph, and drivers would know that going faster would only result in hitting red lights. Zandvliet said, "It's a very complex matter with regard to coordinating traffic signals. It's very difficult to do," he said.
He explained that this would change some driver behaviors, but not necessarily create safer conditions. Some drivers might speed up at yellow lights, others might learn that there's "no reason to stop at a red light on Sepulveda, because there's nobody on the side streets at night." Neighborhood streets could get new traffic that would normally stay on Sepulveda. Collisions could ensue when some drivers heed the lights and others do not.
"It's a matter of, what kind of collision do you want at this point?" Zandvliet said.
But Zandvliet did say that in coordination with nearby cities and Caltrans, a synchronization plan might be workable.
The commission voted to add the concept of nighttime traffic light synchronization as part of its approval of the staff report.
Besides endorsing synchronizing lights at the speed limit, commissioners added suggestions to:
City council will receive the report and PPIC recommendations in advance of the May 5 meeting.
Zandvliet suggested that Sepulveda Boulevard actually has "reserve capacity" and can handle more volume than it currently carries. Before the COVID pandemic, he said, the road had 5,000-10,000 more cars per day than today.
"The roadway can handle more capacity or more volume than it has," Zandvliet said.
Still, he said, "adding a few ... larger-scale developments is concerning, especially [for parts of Sepulveda] close to that development."
Dense, high-rise new housing projects planned under the "density bonus" law within the city's "Residential Overlay District" are not required to conduct traffic studies, and cannot be challenged on the grounds of any traffic impacts.
Thursday afternoon, an initial report, with dozens of options, was presented to the Parking and Public Improvements Commission, a first step before a planned May 5 presentation to the city council.
Any effort to carry out changes on Sepulveda requires coordination with and approval by Caltrans, the state agency with authority over the highway.
Although between 41,000-56,000 cars travel through Manhattan Beach on Sepulveda each day, and the recent fatalities have drawn widespread attention, fewer than 10 members of the public attended the PPIC meeting. Some who did attend complained of lackluster notice.
Dozens of 'Countermeasures' Proposed
City Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet told the commission that his group has been meeting with Caltrans every three weeks since the mandate from council. They've operated as a task force to identify more than 40 potential safety "countermeasures," which Zandvliet outlined Thursday. The measures fall roughly into five categories:
- Speed management and enforcement
- Technology and intersection control
- Delineation and pavement treatments
- Pedestrian and bicycle safety
- Additional visibility and outreach measures
A slide from city staff's presentation to the Parking and Public Improvements Commission shows some safety mitigations on Sepulveda between 2nd Street and Manhattan Beach Blvd.
The purpose of many of the countermeasures is to reduce dangerous turns and pedestrian crossings during normal daily traffic on the highway.
Zandvliet said that after reviewing the corridor, city and Caltrans staff concluded that they "need to put crosswalks everywhere" and that there is "just no doubt about it." He specified that this requirement applies to every stop sign and every signal along Sepulveda, emphasizing there should be "no exceptions."
Zandvliet noted that the implementation is a "two-part responsibility," where Caltrans will install many of the crosswalks in conjunction with an upcoming paving project, while the city will install the remaining ones located on city-controlled portions of the street. These crosswalks are intended to be high-visibility, using "ladder style" reflective pavement markings, rather than standard lines, to increase awareness.
Caltrans plans a resurfacing of Sepulveda through Manhattan Beach starting this Summer, which city staff sees as a golden opportunity to make a range of physical improvements from their recommendations at the same time.Speed Remains the Toughest Factor
While dozens of smaller fixes are on the table, Zandvliet, the PPIC commissioners and residents at the meeting also recognized that speed is a big problem.Commissioner Stefan Kampe said, "When I looked at the safety measures, I scratched my head. What safety measures are there that can really help us reduce the speed?"
The recommendations include new speed‑feedback signs (which flash to tell drivers they're going too fast), stepped‑up police enforcement and regular DUI and safety checkpoints.
Lt. Kelly Benjamin of MBPD's traffic bureau said that patrol cars do go out frequently to Sepulveda to conduct traffic and speed enforcement operations, and the "mere presence of flashing lights slows everybody down," but things soon return to normal.
"So we have been unsuccessful in solving the problem, but we continually address the problem," Lt. Benjamin said.
"Speed safety cameras" (SSCs) drew a lot of attention at the meeting as a promising technology. Two types of cameras can either detect speeding while it's happening, or track a vehicle from "point to point" and establish that it must have been speeding in between those points. Drivers can be ticketed based on the cameras' findings.
Seven California cities have legislative approval to test SSCs during a 5-year pilot program. Los Angeles recently approved 125 cameras, while other SoCal cities in the pilot include Glendale and Long Beach. Malibu was added to the original 6-city pilot by later legislation.
Lt. Benjamin said that she had personally requested that Manhattan Beach be considered for addition to the program, and the PPIC voted Thursday to urge city council and state legislators to get the city involved.
Jim Savela, father of Ford Savela, a Mira Costa senior who died in a collision on Sepulveda in early 2025, urged the city to consider pairing up with other neighboring cities in a joint bid to get speed cameras installed for long stretches of the highway. (Sepulveda Blvd. is called Pacific Coast Highway outside of Manhattan Beach.)
While those speed cameras are new to California, commissioner Kampe said that he had lived in Germany 25 years ago, and found out they had such a system in place then. "I did go past one of these cameras, and two police officers showed up two days later at my front door," Kampe recalled.
The speed limit on Sepulveda is 35 mph, a figure recently revisited and kept in place by Caltrans after a 2023 study. Although drivers' speeds tend to run slightly higher, Caltrans – which has authority over the state highway – has opted not to increase the speed limit, recognizing that driveways, pedestrian activity and other factors could make a higher limit, like 40 or 45 mph, unsafe.
If there were a movement to try to lower the speed limit to 30 mph, Zandvliet explained, California traffic laws could prevent that, as the speed limit must be set "so that you do not make violators out of most of the people on the street."
Lt. Benjamin said if the limit were somehow shifted to 30 mph, an unintended consequence might be that e-bikes would be allowed to ride on Sepulveda. They are now prohibited with the 35 mph limit.
Synchronize Signals to Reduce Speeds?
Outside of rush hour, and particularly late at night, Sepulveda tends to open up quite a bit, with relatively little traffic and higher speeds. Commissioner Gita O'Neill compared the road to a "freeway" at such times, which can be encouraged by long green lights that are meant to move rush-hour traffic more efficiently.O'Neill asked whether a request could be made to state officials to revise the light schedules outside of the busy 7:30am-5:30pm range, speculating that more red lights along Sepulveda might have slowed or stopped some of the drivers involved in last year's tragic fatal crashes.
Savela seemed to concur, echoing O'Neill's description of Sepulveda as a "freeway" or even "like a race track" late at night, offering hope that a "traffic light timing issue ... probably could do something to help curtail speeding in the off hours."
He explained that this would change some driver behaviors, but not necessarily create safer conditions. Some drivers might speed up at yellow lights, others might learn that there's "no reason to stop at a red light on Sepulveda, because there's nobody on the side streets at night." Neighborhood streets could get new traffic that would normally stay on Sepulveda. Collisions could ensue when some drivers heed the lights and others do not.
"It's a matter of, what kind of collision do you want at this point?" Zandvliet said.
But Zandvliet did say that in coordination with nearby cities and Caltrans, a synchronization plan might be workable.
The commission voted to add the concept of nighttime traffic light synchronization as part of its approval of the staff report.
Commission Endorses Staff Plan, With Additions
The Parking and Public Improvements Commission unanimously supported bringing all of the city staff report's recommendations to the city council, but chose to add concepts as well.Besides endorsing synchronizing lights at the speed limit, commissioners added suggestions to:
- Urge city council to work with state legislators to add Manhattan Beach to the AB645 "safety cameras" pilot, and to help make Sepulveda more pedestrian-friendly;
- Prohibit left turns from Valley Drive onto Sepulveda Blvd. northbound;
- Encourage construction of a pedestrian bridge across Sepulveda (currently at a concept stage for the area near new Skechers developments on South Sepulveda); and
- Have MBPD and MBFD roll out an "Operation Prom Night," which uses a staged accident to demonstrate traffic dangers to high schoolers soon before prom.
City council will receive the report and PPIC recommendations in advance of the May 5 meeting.
Impact of Housing Projects?
On a traffic-related issue pertaining to some new, planned "high rise" housing projects along Sepulveda, commissioners showed concern for how increased traffic volume could impact safety along the road. (Two projects have drawn the most attention recently, including one at 2705 N. Sepulveda Blvd. and one at 2nd St. and Sepulveda, at the former "Deep Roots" garden center site.)Zandvliet suggested that Sepulveda Boulevard actually has "reserve capacity" and can handle more volume than it currently carries. Before the COVID pandemic, he said, the road had 5,000-10,000 more cars per day than today.
"The roadway can handle more capacity or more volume than it has," Zandvliet said.
Still, he said, "adding a few ... larger-scale developments is concerning, especially [for parts of Sepulveda] close to that development."
Dense, high-rise new housing projects planned under the "density bonus" law within the city's "Residential Overlay District" are not required to conduct traffic studies, and cannot be challenged on the grounds of any traffic impacts.
