In May 2023, local officials celebrated a major milestone when a new dedicated two-way bike and pedestrian path opened, closing a long-standing gap between the Santa Monica beach path and Will Rogers State Beach. The project included improved safety features such as adequate lighting and rest areas, making the popular corridor safer and more enjoyable for cyclists and walkers alike.
However, that newfound connectivity faced challenges soon after. In February 2024, heavy rain and winter storms caused the newly completed section of the path near Santa Monica Canyon to collapse due to erosion and washout, pushing concrete and trail materials into the sand and ocean below. Part of the walking path adjacent to the bicycle route also collapsed under the force of the weather, leading to closures and safety concerns.
But alert reader Dustin Shahan has noticed that the path and bridge has been restored and re-opened. And, it survived this week’s storms, a good sign for it’s mid- and long-term future.
Recognizing the importance of this coastal corridor — used daily by commuters and recreational users alike — Los Angeles County Public Works initiated a $4.2 million restoration project in August 2025. The effort aimed to rebuild the damage from storms and reinforce the trail near the Santa Monica Canyon Channel at Will Rogers Beach to better withstand future weather events, including the installation of durable materials and grading work along the channel outlet.
The historic environmental conditions that triggered the initial damage — including king tides and intense storms — underline the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure to extreme weather and sea-level influences, trends that many planners expect to continue as climate patterns shift.
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