The City of Los Angeles will soon be submitting a pre-application to begin the process of pursuing a TIGER Discretionary Grant. The LADOT Bicycle Program has been working with the Department of Public Works – Bureau of Engineering’s Los Angeles River Team and the City of Vernon to develop a project that will substantially complete and unite L.A. River Bike Path segments already built or under construction. We are proposing a project that will link Downtown Los Angeles to the Valley and Long Beach via a contiguous bikeway corridor, a true non-motorized transportation network via the L.A. River that will include some great Downtown Los Angeles linkages (we’ve already got a number of Downtown network segments we’re readying for implementation separately that will tie into this proposed project). Construction would start as soon as late 2013.
Due to the nature of the funding timelines we’ll seek the money to do a preliminary build out of the project (with bike path and on-street connections, and at-grade street crossings that provide great access to the river, ) and come back and add additional amenities at future dates using other funding sources. This is a really big opportunity to get most of the facility on the ground without precluding coming back and addressing those areas that have been very difficult thus far, such as the lots at CBS and Universal, and desired undercrossings (which will require lengthier environmental review processes), at a later date. More details on the proposed project after the break:
The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant program, in the words of Ray LaHood (Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation), are for projects that will, “change the U.S. transportation landscape by strengthening the economy and creating jobs… and providing safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation choices.” Additionally, they are designed to support, “…projects that could not have been funded without this program.”
We think the L.A. River Bikeway Network (and the Downtown Los Angeles linkages included) are a perfect match for the TIGER program, and will give Los Angeles a rare opportunity to secure a substantial amount of funding to provide a regionally significant non-motorized transportation corridor that can support regional access to jobs as well as begin to build out a bikeway network that can also serve recreational needs as called for in the Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan.
The 2010 Bicycle Plan identifies the Los Angeles River Bicycle Path as a part of the citywide Green Network and prioritizes the complete design and construction of the path along its full 32 miles by 2035 (policy 3.3.1.B). In addition, the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan recognizes the “…Los Angeles River as a key non-motorized transportation link.” Momentum for the L.A. River has been building over the last several years as is evidenced by the increasing number of people coming to the river to travel, to commute and to recreate. The growing list of supporters of this project includes Congressman Brad Sherman and Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, State Senator Fran Pavley, the City of Glendale, the City of Burbank, and the City of Vernon, L.A. City Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Tom LaBonge, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, as well as various community groups, including GreenLA Coalition, Village Gardeners of the Los Angeles River, Save L.A. River Open Space and the Studio City Residents’ Association.
We’ll come back to you with more information on the project in future posts. With the right support and funding the L.A. River Bike Path could be completed well in advance of the 2035 deadline as called for in the Bicycle Plan. We’ll keep you posted!
P.S.
If you’ve got any great photos of bicyclists using the L.A. River Path, please consider submitting them to our Flickr pool. We’ll use them in our grant application (and this blog) and give you a photo credit. Thanks!
This is great. Many bike commuters from areas north of downtown use the LA River Bike Path to get to/from downtown. It’s the major north-south corridor for folks that live in Glendale, Burbank, Los Feliz, Atwater Village, Elysian Valley/Frogtown, South Pasadena, Pasadena, La Canada/Flintridge, Montrose, etc. It’s got a major recreational component, too, as I see all types of walkers, cyclists, in-line skaters, etc. each a.m. and p.m. when I bike the path going to and coming home from work each day.
Currently having to get off the path at the S. terminus at Riverside drive and traverse poorly maintained and heavily traffic-riddled streets is less than optimal for bike commuters, to put it gently. Frankly, the lack of street markings, signage, acceptable pavement is nothing short of a road hazard and very discouraging and not welcoming at all.
Have the LA River Bike Path connect to downtown, with good markings and signage to assist cyclists and motorists at the exit/entry points (and a connected street network to major places of work/interest esp. in downtown LA) will go a long way to not only assist those that currently commute along this route, but will attract many new riders, commuters, tourists, etc.
Please keep us posted on the progress, as I would like to assist seeing this become a reality. Thank you.
I don’t see the point of this for the great majority of potential utilitarian bicyclists when considering connecting the valley to downtown L.A. Given choices, people will choose the fastest and easiest way to get somewhere. For North Hollywood or Universal Studios area that would be either the freeway or subway. If it was completed today, that would not be in consideration for my fastest and easiest way to get downtown from my residence just above Universal Studios and I’m a long distance cycle commuter.
Utilitarian cycling for most people is a short distance and no more than 20 minutes form of transportation. The average distance traveled in the Netherlands is 1.86 miles. Metro’s Orange Line bike survey had a average distance of 1.9 miles when traveling by bike to the BRT line. According to Metro’s rail survey of bicyclists, the average distance for biking to the rail stop was 2.2 miles.
If Los Angeles would use these funds to make on street bike paths or cycle tracks, we would have a much more used and robust bicycling network. Instead, the street treatments are reduced to only paint to protect cyclists from motorized traffic and that scares off most potential cyclists.
Indianapolis decided to improve their downtown with the Tiger grant. This is more in line with what I’m stating. It’s typical in America to put the bike paths next to a river or railroad lines where fewer people travel.
Here’s a series of photos
http://gallery.me.com/gailpayne#100033/ICT08_00064&bgcolor=black
and a nice video of the project
http://www.indyculturaltrail.org/trail-overview-video.html
You tell me whether the L.A river project is more impressive or the more practical project in downtown Indianapolis is. It’s a tough decision for me. Notice the fence that runs next to the bike path, along the L.A,. river which makes access difficult.
I rode to the BPIT meeting yesterday. If LADOT gets the grant and finishes the LA river path and connects it with the downtown network it will save me 20 minutes riding to downtown. It looks like you have alot of support across the board with the support letters ….good luck.
Happy to report that the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) Board of Directors unanimously approved a letter of support for the TIGER application. Crossing our fingers!
Also happy to report that LARABA (Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association) has also approved a letter of support of the TIGER application. More fingers crossed!
[…] information on the city’s river bikeway TIGER application, see coverage at KCET and LADOT. See also ongoing L.A. River coverage by this author at L.A. Creek Freak. Email Share […]
[…] additional information on the city’s river bikeway TIGER application, see coverage at KCET and LADOT. See also ongoing L.A. River coverage by this author at L.A. Creek Freak. […]