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How to Navigate Downtown Manhattan Beach Street Closures

Feb 13, 2021 12:29PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The city of Manhattan Beach has temporarily closed part of Manhattan Avenue in the downtown area to allow for more socially distant outdoor dining.

Manhattan Avenue between Manhattan Beach Boulevard and 12th Street has now been closed to vehicles, with Center Place remaining open for east-west traffic only. The street closure will remain in effect until further notice, subject to an assessment by the city.

As the holiday weekend begins, here are some tips offered by the city for navigating the new setup.

1. Use Highland Avenue for north/south travel.

(Some locals use Ocean Ave. as well, although that route can get crowded and it is not regulated by traffic lights.)



 2. Use nearby parking lots.

At the Manhattan Beach Pier, there are the upper and lower pier parking lots. Underground parking is available at Metlox and at the Civic Center complex. Parking garages and lots can be found on Morningside Drive across from Metlox; on 12th Street between Highland and Manhattan Ave; and on Highland Ave. at 14th St. across from City Hall. Metered street parking is also available, although may be in short supply (and many meters are 1 hour). Walking, biking, and using ride-share services are also a great way to get downtown.


3. Take advantage of open seating areas for anyone eating pickup or takeout. 

The street closure allows for expanded space for outdoor dining with Fishing With Dynamite, MB Post, Slay Steak & Fish House, Nando Trattoria, and Tacolicious.

However, there are also spaces set aside for "open seating" for curbside pickup and takeout orders. Those spaces are at the intersection of Center Place and Manhattan Ave., and also along Manhattan Ave. across the street from Nando Trattoria and Tacolicious. 

And of course, once you've made your way downtown, don't forget Manhattan Beach shops. Show them your local love as you support your favorite local businesses.


Street Closure Had Been Planned Since November


The expansion into the public right-of-way dates back to last November, when the city approved the street closure. That effort never came to fruition, however, because almost immediately afterwards, Los Angeles County suspended outdoor dining.

It was not until January 29 that the county allowed restaurants to reopen in-person outdoor dining.

At the February 2 City Council meeting when the street closures were formally announced, Councilmember Steve Napolitano, a member of the ad hoc subcommittee that is overseeing the effort, asked for residents' patience with the temporary closure. 

"We’re flexible," said Napolitano, noting that there was not an official end date in place for the closure. "We’’ll make adjustments along the way as we need to. We’re going to evaluate after the weekend and see where we are then."


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