SoCal city eyes high-speed coastal ferry linking beach towns ahead of 2028 Olympics

Southern Californians may soon be able to ditch the bumper-to-bumper freeway grind for a faster ride along the coast — by boat.Long Beach is moving ahead with plans for a high-speed ferry network that would connect beach cities from Malibu to the South Bay, offering commuters and visitors an alternative to crawling along the region’s notoriously clogged freeways.The proposed service –– known as Pier-to-Pier –– would connect seven coastal destinations: Long Beach, San Pedro, Redondo Beach Harbor, Venice Pier, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica Pier and Malibu Pier.Long Beach officials announced this week that the project has secured an operational partnership with Harbor Breeze, a local maritime operator that would help launch and maintain the ferry network.“Pier-to-Pier has established an operational partnership with Harbor Breeze, a seasoned LongBeach based California‑licensed maritime operator, to support the launch and long‑termreliability of its high‑speed coastal ferry network,” the city wrote in a memo.“This partnership also leverages Harbor Breeze’s current position as a commercial tenant in SanPedro and downtown Long Beach at Rainbow Harbor,” they further wrote.Rainbow Harbor is expected to serve as the network’s initial Long Beach docking point, with Belmont Pier and Alamitos Bay being considered for additional stops.The city has already approved an $8.9 million budget to support two projects aimed at building and upgrading Belmont Pier.Once operational, the ferry network would also connect passengers with other transportation options, including “LA Metro (E and A Lines), Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, LAX shuttle networks, and local coastal shuttles.”Thursday’s memo comes after the City Council unanimously agreed 6-0 on April 7 to take formal steps in establishing the Pier-to-Pier system.And the proposed boat rides could offer a serious time savings compared with driving.A trip from Malibu to Santa Monica, which typically take...