Puente Hills Landfill Park, opening in 2027, will transform a former landfill into a regional park with trails, scenic vistas, and various amenities, addressing environmental justice and providing much-needed green space for the San Gabriel Valley.

Puente Hills Landfill Park, slated to open in 2027, will transform a former 1,300-acre landfill—the second largest in the U.S.—into Los Angeles County's newest regional park, offering 140 acres of trails, scenic vistas, and green space for a community historically impacted by industrial contamination and limited access to open space. As reported by Chris Greenspon and Joe Linton, the project reflects decades of planning and community input, addressing environmental justice while creating a sustainable recreational hub. The park will feature key areas such as the 40-acre Western Deck with playgrounds, gardens, and an ADA-accessible "Skywalk," along with an Environmental Justice Center housing classrooms, exhibits, and advocacy resources.
The park design balances the site's unique topography and environmental challenges, including methane off-gassing from the landfill, which closed in 2013 after storing 150 million tons of waste. Vegetated terraces and capped soil layers ensure safety while providing a foundation for trails, oak groves, and wildlife habitats. The initial construction phases, beginning in 2025, will focus on creating the Environmental Justice Center, entry plaza, and the Western Deck, while future phases will expand into the Eastern and Southern Decks, offering additional nature trails, a bird observation outlook, and native plant nurseries.
Nike Hill, the landfill's peak, already offers panoramic views and serves as a popular hiking destination, showcasing the site's transformation potential. Accessible via the Schabarum-Skyline Trail, the hill is part of an existing 29-mile trail network that links to surrounding parks. The new park aims to enhance multimodal access, including bike lanes and transit connections, while delivering much-needed green space to underserved communities in the San Gabriel Valley. The Puente Hills Landfill Park exemplifies how urban planning and community engagement can turn industrial landscapes into vibrant, inclusive recreational spaces.
FULL STORY: Touring the Puente Hills Landfill Slated to Become the Future “Griffith Park of the San Gabriel Valley”

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service