County of Los Angeles Regional Plan of Highways Section 4 Long Beach – Redondo Area 1931

Plans to accommodate the spectacular growth enjoyed by Los Angeles during the first three decades of the 20th century.

According to statistics presented in this volume, the population of Los Angeles County increased from 170,288 to 2,208,492 from January 1, 1900 to April 1, 1930. This astonishing growth was concentrated around metropolitan Los Angeles, which added nearly 1.3 million residents in the last decade alone (a surge of ~140%!). The number of cars on L.A.’s roads also grew, with the rate of automobile ownership in California outpacing the rest of the nation (1 car per 2.74 residents, vs. a national average of 4.6). The infrastructure could not keep up. The Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission authorized a highway study in 1923, ultimately leading to a Regional Highway Plan that divided the county into seven separate parts.

This report, published in 1931, presents the recommended findings for Section 4, the southernmost area including Long Beach, Redondo Beach, the Los Angeles Harbor, Palos Verdes, and South L.A. Numerous maps, construction plans, tables of statistics, and illustrated diagrams outline the methodology for implementing a robust network of highways (at least 100 feet wide), with a supplementary system of secondary road and by-pass streets. Concentrations of local industry, regional geography, residential neighborhoods (including some of the most exclusive in the area), existing transportation infrastructure, construction costs, and potential for future growth are all explored in extensive depth. Of particular interest are a map noting the existing and proposed airfields, plans for high-density residential areas, and a detailed examination of the waterfront.