We are sure that everyone living in MDR and adjacent Venice and Playa del Rey has noticed the extraordinary traffic problems affecting Admiralty Way due to the Los Angeles County’s need to bring the infrastructure up to date in order to accommodate its redevelopment plans which include several very large apartment complexes on Via Marina. One of them is the “Shores” on Via Marina which, although not fully completed, has begun leasing operations and some tenants have already moved in.
The cost of these improvements will be $41 million dollars. Some of the projects listed below, begun in 2011, have been completed. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has not given a final completion date for all the remaining projects, but estimates that the work will continue at least through 2015, with the worst impact to Admiralty Way continuing in 2014.
What’s involved:
1) 18″ Water Line replacement Phase II on Admiralty Way and portion of Via Marina: Construction started May 2011.
Scope of Work: Improve the Marina del Rey Water System to meet domestic and fire protection demands. Install approximately 9,500 linear feet of new 18-inch diameter steel pipeline along Admiralty Way and portions of Via Marina and Fiji Way to replace the existing, aged, and undersized 14-inch diameter water main.
2) Admiralty Way Settlement Repair. Construction started Sept 2012
Scope of Work: Repair the settled roadway to prevent further settlement; remove existing grade and cement treat soil; reconstruct sidewalks, curbs, gutters, driveways and medians; restore existing street lights, traffic loops, roadway striping and update signage.
3) Manhole Lining on Via Marina: Start Date October 2012
Scope of Work: To reduce the potential of groundwater infiltration into sewer manholes. Infiltration of groundwater reduces the capacity of the pipes which are already impacted by growth and development of the area. Work consists of the installation of a seamless plastic coating inside 75 sewer manholes.
4) Admiralty Way Street Improvement: Start Date February 2013
Scope of Work: To provide sufficient capacity to accommodate future traffic conditions to comply with the Marina del Rey Local Coastal Program. The project will also include resurfacing the existing pavement. Improvements will include traffic turn pocket modifications, new pavement, traffic signal upgrade, signing and striping, street light relocation, median reconfiguration and median landscape replacement.
5) 18″ Water Line replacement on Via Marina: Phase 111 A. Start Date February 2013.
Scope of Work: Improve the Marina del Rey Water System to meet domestic and fire protection water demands. Phase III-A consists of the installation of approximately 1,000 linear feet of 18-inch diameter steel pipeline along Via Marina from Panay Way to Marquesas Way to replace the existing, aged, and undersized 12-inch diameter water mains.
6) 18″ Water Line replacement on Via Marina: Phase 111 B. Start Date November, 2013
Scope of Work: Improve the Marina del Rey Water System to meet domestic and fire protection water demands. Phase III-B consists of the installation of approximately 8,800 linear feet of 18-inch diameter steel pipeline along Via Marina and Fiji Way to replace the existing, aged, and undersized 10-inch and
14-inch diameter water mains.
7) Oxford Retention Basin Multi-Use Enhancement: Start date April 2014.
Scope of Work: Improve flood control function, water quality, habitat, aesthetics, and recreation opportunities of Oxford Basin. Work will include re-grading, a circulation berm, replacement of non-native vegetation with native species, a decomposed granite walking path around the basin, and less obstructive fencing.
8)Roadway Project: Admiralty Way at Via Marina: Start date November 2014.
Scope of Work: To improve traffic flow and reduce traffic delay at the intersection of Via Marina and Admiralty Way. Reconfigure the existing “T” intersection to create additional left-turn pockets. Work will include reconstruction of medians, sidewalks, curbs, gutters; relocation of catch basins, street lights, and two bus pads; traffic signal upgrade, and striping.
The County has also promised to replace the trees removed from the Admiralty Way median strip and the mole streets in the basins at some point during this process.
ADVICE: Traffic Work Arounds
Avoid Admiralty way: I came home from LAX last Monday at around 4pm and the eastbound traffic on Admiralty was in gridlock from Via Marina to Fiji Way. The westbound traffic was somewhat better, but still pretty bad.
Washington Boulevard going east is okay until around 2pm on the weekdays. Avoid on weekends in late am going east (Beach traffic going home). Avoid on weekends mid-morning (Beach traffic heading to Venice)
Venice Boulevard going east and west, pretty good most of the time. Avoid on weekends due to am and pm beach traffic (see above).
Lincoln Boulevard going north and south. Avoid during the morning and evening rush hour. Otherwise okay. There are side streets east of Lincoln, going north and south, where you can wend your way north and south without problems. Check Google maps.
Pacific, Nielson, Ocean Park Boulevard: going north and south. Still pretty good most of the time. If you are going to Santa Monica, turn right at Ocean Park Blvd onto Main Street and proceed to Colorado Blvd. Take a left at 4th street where Colorado becomes one way going west. Avoid on the weekends when the beach traffic is terrible.
The Silver Strand News 
if we are in Venice, then our zip code should be changed in 90291 so that our property values will increase.
The change from 90291 to 90292 happened around 1985.I haven’t researched it, but in those days MDR was a far more fashionable address than Venice.
Oh, how times have changed. The Oxford Triangle, also formerly in 90291 Venice, was also assigned the 90292 zip code in the 1990s. I would bet that the developers may have had some input here.
As things stand now, Silver Strand property values, mostly single family homes, are merged with condo sales in MDR on Trulia, Zillow, et.al., giving an unrealistic picture of
same. Also, the Silver Strand News has posted many articles on the “Shores.” Just type in “Shores” in the search bar and you will get an idea of the history of this and present and
future developments in MDR.
what can we do about changing our zip code to 90291, as it is supposed to be? Does it go through Los Angeles City Council, should the Silver Strand Board of Directors initiate a request, or, do we need a petition?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your comment which inspired my post of 10/20/13.
The Los Angeles County Departments and staff responsible for all this, including approval of the Shores and other large and small projects planned in MDR, are as follows:
1) The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
2) The Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
3) The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors
The Silver Strand is under the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles, not County (with the exception of property taxes). Despite our zip code, we are in Venice, City of Los Angeles not unincorporated MDR which is County. That is why, unlike MDR, there are no high-rises in our community. MDR and Venice (which we are in) are also governed by the California Coastal Commission in terms of issues affecting public access to the beach.
i wonder if any “brainiac” in government bothered to figure out what a negative effect this is having on all businesses in Marina Del Rey, prior to deciding to do all this construction simultaneously. In addition, who in their “right” mind approved the horrible design and size of the Shores. It is a blight on the community and looks like public housing…………sure to lower the property values.