The Street Seen: Speedway
Hollister Ave to Marine St
Established in the early 1900’s, Speedway is a 20-ft wide city alley from Hollister Ave to the City south border, through Venice, and beyond. The alley provides a continuous north-south thoroughfare along the beach. However, traffic congestion soon makes the name ironic, and blind intersections make it a death trap. As part of the 1960s Ocean Park Redevelopment Project, Speedway is widened and renamed Barnard Way.
City Alley Known As Speedway
A 20ft wide continuous city alley behind the properties along Ocean Front Walk is established in 1899.1 The adjoining Ocean Park south beach tracts follow suit and make the alley continuous from Hollister Ave to Marine St. The alley becomes known as Speedway.2
Being continuous and clear of structures, Speedway is also a convenient location for utilities - water, gas, sewers, telephone & power poles. In 1903, the City considers surfacing Speedway with asphalt, but recognizes weakness of the underlying sand base, and the frequent need to dig up the street to maintain utilities. The City decides to only grade and oil Speedway - resulting in dust in the summer and mud in the rainy season.
Laid out before automobiles become common,3 Speedway is considered to have revolutionized travel along the beach and to be a positive contribution to Ocean Park development.
But by 1908, with the rapid increase in automobile ownership, Speedway is being described as Ocean Park development’s greatest mistake. Speedway, only 20-ft wide compared to the pedestrian 40-ft wide Ocean Front Walk, is the only north-south traffic route along the beach.4
The problem is easily recognized, and there are really only two alternatives - widen it or abandon it (and find an alternative route). As time goes on, more structures are built along either side of Speedway, and it becomes evermore difficult to acquire the expensive beach property, along with the associated question of who is to pay for it.
In 1908, the City sets automobile speed limits - 20 mph city-wide except 15 mph on Ocean Ave and Main St, and 8 mph on Speedway. 5
In 1909, the City undergrounds the telephone and power lines, and finally surfaces Speedway with asphalt.6 In 1912, the idea of widening Speedway is again discussed7 but then abandoned. In 1913, on a summer Sunday, there are 10,000 to 15,000 automobile trips on Speedway.
In 1947, with the opening of Neilson Way and Pacific Avenue to automobile traffic, Speedway becomes one-way (southbound).
Ocean Park Redevelopment Project
The 1960s Ocean Park Redevelopment Project provides a Gordian Knot solution for the Speedway problem. In 1964, the first row of structures east of Speedway, and all of the structures west of Speedway, are removed.8
Speedway is widened to 60 ft, and the beaches opened up with parks and surface parking lots.9
Barnard Way
In 1966, the City honors former Mayor Barnard10 by renaming Speedway Barnard Way.11
Speedway is established with the Ocean Park Tract of 1899. The adjoining Ocean Park beach tracts (North to South - Wadsworth and Hollister Tract (1902), Central Beach Tract (1901), Ocean Wave Tract (1901), Ocean Park Tract (1899), Crescent Bay Tract (1902), and Bay View Tract (1901)) make the alley continuous from Hollister to Venice.
The name Speedway refers to a vehicle thoroughfare with no sidewalks, no pedestrians, no stop signs, and right-of-way at all cross streets.
The narrowness of Speedway makes it unsuitable for organized automobile racing events.
The City Alley is commonly referred to as Speedway, but the City is reluctant to officially change the name to Speedway, as it will only encourage more traffic on the congested thoroughfare. In 1908, Appian Way (all roads lead to Santa Monica) is suggested as a new name for Speedway - an idea taken up by Carl Schader in his Seaside Terrace Tract north of Pico Blvd. In 1912, the City agrees to change the name, but in the end, can’t decide on a new name.
Though the first automobiles appear on Los Angeles streets in the late 1890s, they are initially rare oddities. Electric trolleys and horse-drawn wagons remain the dominant modes of transportation. The Automobile Club of Southern California is organized in 1900 by just ten car enthusiasts. By 1910, the Automobile Club membership is 2,500.
In the 1910s, spurred by the assembly-line Ford Model T, automobiles became more accessible, with ownership transitioning from a wealthy luxury to widespread use. In 1920, Automobile Club membership had risen to 30,000. The 1920s are the years during which the motor car becomes the dominant mode of transportation in Southern California. Overall, auto registration in Los Angeles County, less than 20,000 in 1910, by 1923 there are 430,000 cars registered - one for every three people. By 1930, registration of passenger cars in Los Angeles County is almost 800,000.
Main Street is an alternative north-south traffic route, but it is not convenient to access the beach as there are only limited crossings over the trolley right-of-way. Also, before the 1926 street widening, Main St is only 40-ft wide.
Trolleyway (now Neilson Way and Pacific Avenue) is an unpaved exclusive electric trolley right-of-way.
Actress Dorothy Dalton (1893 - 1972) arrested for speeding on Speedway (1919)
In 1909, Barber Asphalt is awarded the contract to surface Speedway with asphalt from Hollister to Marine for $9,706. Barber Asphalt does not accept the award, and the next lowest bidder, Braun, Bryant & Austin is awarded the job for $12,500 The surfacing is paid by for by an assessment district - from whom Braun has to collect directly.
The Speedway Spectre (1912). Death rides on the Speedway in a swift flying terror and sooner or later some awful tragedy will take place there.
In 1963, as a preliminary to the Ocean Park Redevelopment Project, Ocean Ave is extended through the Wadsworth & Hollister Tract to align with Speedway at Hart
Venice is unable to afford the widening, and Speedway still exists (retaining its name) from the Santa Monica border to the Marina Del Rey channel.
Benjamin Alvin Barnard (1904 – 1960). Santa Monica College political science professor and Mayor of Santa Monica. He is on the City Council from the new city charter of 1947 till his death in 1960.
In 1966, Speedway and a portion of Ocean Avenue from Pico Blvd south are named Barnard Way. However, the City soon modifies its decision, and the name of the Ocean Avenue portion is reinstated. Only that street formerly known as Speedway retains the Barnard Way name.