Drew Boyles, El Segundo mayor, Jacki Bacharach, SBCCOG executive director, Cedric Hicks, SBCCOG chair and Carson Council member, and Paige Kaluderovic, Redondo Beach Council member, led the parade on the LTN route.

It’s been said, “The turtle wins the race.” But the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) and the City of El Segundo are hoping the turtle will also improve street safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the cost of local travel in the South Bay.

The SBCCOG and El Segundo recently launched phase one of a street network that will support the growing market and use of lightweight, zero-emission, low-speed vehicles for local trips. The network, called the Local Travel Network (LTN), is the first in the world to safely accommodate the use of such vehicles—which include neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs), e-bikes, pedal bikes, e-scooters and other devices—as they share the road with traditional motorized vehicles on existing, low-speed streets.

The El Segundo route is part of a 243-mile network of streets that will eventually connect the South Bay from as far north as Inglewood to San Pedro in the south. Street routes are marked by “rolling turtle” signage that notifies users they are on the network, wayfinding signage to major city destinations and safe intersections, and sharrows—two inverted V-shapes above a bicycle that when painted on the street indicate when low-speed vehicles are sharing the road with other motorized vehicles.

In 2024 work will be done in Carson, Lomita, Harbor City, San Pedro and Wilmington to bring the Local Travel Network to those communities.

SBCCOG RESEARCH REVEALS:

  • 70% of trips taken in the South Bay are 3 miles or less.
  • The average gas-fueled passenger vehicle weighs an inefficient 4,000 pounds and carries 1.67 people.

The LTN is made possible through Measure M subregional transportation funding. To learn more visit southbaycities.org/localtravelnetwork. Sign up to receive updates about the network, Turtle Talk monthly, as well as other news from the SBCCOG. •