Major changes are coming to Pacific Avenue in Long Beach. The city is in the midst of a redesign of the north-south artery that runs from Ocean Boulevard, through the Wrigley area and up to the 405 Freeway.
The project is expected to create about 2 miles of new, protected bike lanes — some of which will be raised at sidewalk level — as well as eight new pedestrian crossings, widened sidewalks, expanded medians and bus stops that will officials hope will offer non-motorists safe, streamlined access to city institutions like the Metro A Line, the Long Beach Convention Center and Long Beach City College.
It will also include a road diet, removing a traffic lane in either direction from Ocean Boulevard to Spring Street as a means to curb excessive speeding. Officials say there may be some road widening from Spring Street up to the point where the road intersects with the 405 Freeway…