In the lead-up to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the City of Long Beach has unveiled its most ambitious infrastructure roadmap in history: the Elevate ’28 Investment Plan. What began as a $533 million initiative has now ballooned into a staggering $1.1 billion effort aimed at readying our neighborhoods, parks, and coastal corridors for the world stage. With over 180 unique projects currently in the pipeline, the face of our shoreline is about to change forever.
At Pacific Surf and Trail, we believe that transparency is the cornerstone of good stewardship. While a billion-dollar investment brings the promise of modernized facilities and “Legacy” benefits, it also brings a massive shift in how our public spaces are managed. We are tracking these projects not just as construction milestones, but as pivotal moments for coastal access and social equity.
The Heavy Hitters: Shoreline and Beyond Two of the most transformative projects in this plan are the Shoreline Drive Realignment and the Shoemaker Bridge Replacement. This “Gateway to the City” is being reimagined to reconnect downtown with a doubling of the parkland at Cesar E. Chavez Park. On paper, it is a masterclass in urban “greening”—replacing concrete highway lanes with 5.6 acres of new parkland and protected bike paths.
However, our “Crunchy Professional” lens asks: Who is this parkland for? As these paths are built, we will be monitoring to ensure they remain truly public, free from the “privatization by stealth” that often follows high-end waterfront redevelopment.
Water Quality and “Hidden” Infrastructure The plan also allocates over $31 million to Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancements. By replacing aging pumps that were once tied to power plant cooling operations, the city aims to preserve the health of the bay for athletes and residents alike. This is “invisible” infrastructure that matters deeply to the local ecosystem.
The “Delta” of 2028 The “Delta” is the difference between what is promised in a glossy City Hall PDF and what is actually delivered on the sand. As the Belmont Beach Aquatics Center, the Belmont Pier improvements, and the Queen Mary renovations move forward, we are documenting the baseline. We want to ensure that the “Olympic Legacy” isn’t just a collection of upgraded facilities for tourists, but a permanent enhancement of the social spaces that make Long Beach home.
Be Our Eyes on the Ground Infrastructure at this scale moves fast. If you see construction fences appearing in areas that were previously open, or if a “Public Path” sign has been removed, we want to know. Our platform thrives on the observations of the people who use these trails and beaches every day