The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will conduct traffic safety operations on Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.

These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.

We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.

SMPD offers steps drivers and pedestrians can take to greatly reduce the risk of getting injured or in a crash:

Pedestrians

Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.
Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers

Do not speed, and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks, and between intersections where pedestrians may cross.
Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists

Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.
Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.
If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.
Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections, and between intersections where pedestrians may cross. 

An Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory has been declared for all Los Angeles County beaches. The advisory will be in effect at least until 1:00 pm, Saturday, March 8, 2025. This advisory may be extended depending on further rainfall.


For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

On May 18, 2025 runners will start and finish on the Venice Beach boardwalk for the first Venice Beach Half Marathon and 5k (VBHM). All finishers will receive the inaugural finisher medal and race t-shirt. Local musicians will set the beat on the course and the finish line party will include a Vendor Village, more live music, and an ocean front view.



For more info, Click Here

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Santa Monica is celebrating International Women’s Day with a Community Bike Ride & Community Garden Celebration on Saturday, Mar.8 from 9-11 a.m..

Join a fun, family-friendly bike ride to celebrate International Women's Day! Ride along the Beach Bike Path, visit the Main Street Community Garden, and savor some light refreshments. 

Main Street Community Garden
2318 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

For more info, Click Here

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

Get ready to spread love and good vibes at the Venice Love Fest 2025 - a celebration of all things love in the heart of the Westside!.

Celebrate love, community, and creativity at Venice Love Fest on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 11 AM to 7 PM on Venice Blvd in Downtown Mar Vista, CA!

This free community festival brings together an incredible lineup of live music, delicious food trucks, over 400 locally made brands and artists, beer gardens, games, and family-friendly activities.

12257 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

For more info, Click Here

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

A tour of the fire ravaged Malibu Coastline after the Phase 1 Clean Up, in which hazardous materials were removed from damaged properties. It appears that a lot of fire debris has been removed from several homes.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

The Marina del Rey Dragon Boat Festival returns on Saturday, March 1st (7 am – 4 pm) at Burton Chace Park! This free event will feature 40 local and out-of-state dragon boat teams and clubs competing to be the fastest team on the water.

For more info, Click Here

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier invites families and community members to join in for Heroes Day, a fun-filled afternoon celebrating local heroes and promoting safety awareness on Saturday, March 1 from 3-6 p.m.

The free event will feature a variety of activities for all ages, including appearances from beloved superhero characters, face painting, and special partnerships aimed at promoting preparedness. Guests will have the chance to snap photos with and meet and greet their favorite superheroes as they walk around Pacific Park’s Kid’s Cove area, and much more.

The public can also join the Santa Monica Police Department for Coffee with a Cop during Pacific Park’s Heroes Day in front of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf from 3-5 p.m. Come chat with local officers, enjoy refreshments, and learn more about how they serve and protect the community.

In addition, guests and locals can find their flow and feel the rhythm at the Santa Monica Pier’s Wellness & Waves Festival, a free, full-day experience of movement, mindfulness, and music, with donations in support of LA Fire Relief, on Saturday, March 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pacific Park will also mark “Red Cross Month” by joining other area landmarks in lighting up the evening in red. The Ferris wheel lighting event will kick off a month-long awareness campaign to honor the vital work of the American Red Cross. The event will coincide with Pacific Park’s inaugural Heroes Day, which will also honor first responders and recognize their crucial role in the community. In partnership with the American Red Cross, they will have a booth in the park where they will distribute free preparedness kits, helping families stay safe in the event of an emergency.

Nearly 80 years ago, March was first proclaimed “Red Cross Month” in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission. All U.S. presidents since Roosevelt have designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the American Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world through its workforce powered by more than 90 percent volunteers.

For more info, Click Here

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) remains closed to the public for safety reasons between Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Grand View Drive due to the recent rain. Areas were washed out and now need structural repair and cleanup. This is in addition to repairs for fire-related damage. As Caltrans works to restore the road, it will maintain access for emergency responders and is exploring options for limited access, when safely feasible. There is no estimated time of reopening.

Another safety threat was the recent discovery of a large boulder, measuring 30 feet by 15 feet by 10 feet, which is in an unstable position above the roadway between postmile 2.1 and 1.7. Last week, Caltrans began a rock scaling operation after coordinating with utilities to shut off power due to its proximity to a powerline. The area was closed to all – including Caltrans Maintenance, contract crews and utility workers. On Monday, February 24, crews were able to successfully blast the boulder and resume clearing of SR 27.



Utility companies are continuing major repair work, including rerouting a main water line and underground electrical work, which will impact the shoulder and lane. This will require one-way traffic control for contractors. Prior to the recent rain, Caltrans geotechnical engineers identified more than 20 locations along SR 27 that need debris flow barriers and culvert replacement. Additional work and safety measures, such as scaling and installation of rockfall cable mesh, are needed to restore slope stability and roadway safety.

Although reopening the roadway is dependent on cleanup, repair work and weather, Caltrans stands ready to execute a reopening plan in coordination with the CHP, utilities, and any affected public agencies as soon as it is safe to do so. We recognize the critical role these corridors play in the clean-up and recovery efforts for the residents and the public. The decision to reopen lanes must be a joint decision from all parties with a specific plan in place and with safety as the top consideration. We will keep you informed of potential plans to provide limited, escorted access during designated periods.

For more news, updates and traffic conditions on PCH and other local beachside roads, Click Here.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.