Scrambled Crosswalks Now In Play In Downtown Manhattan Beach

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A new crosswalk style, called a scrambled crosswalk, has been installed in two locations in Downtown Manhattan Beach. The crosswalks, which allow for diagonal street crossing, are done in a "blue ladder" style. The crosswalk centers have been left open pending artwork completion and installation.

A scrambled stops all traffic to allow pedestrians to cross in all directions. The new scrambled crosswalks are on Manhattan Beach Boulevard at Highland Avenue and at Manhattan Avenue. City Council approved them "to help traffic flow, particularly during pedestrian heavy summer months," Stephanie Katsouleas, director of public works for the City of Manhattan Beach, told Manhattan Beach Patch.

The crosswalks were installed in November and were unanimously approved by the Manhattan Beach City Council at its Jan. 21, 2020 meeting. Council then consisted of Mayor Nancy Hersman, Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery, and council members Steve Napolitano, Hildy Stern and Suzanne Hadley.

Katsouleas said she has had both positive and negative feedback so far on the scrambled crosswalks and said that additional signage going in this month "will help people get used to it, and traffic/pedestrian flow should continue to improve."