The Power Of Closing An L.A. Freeway

A community group reclaims Los Angeles' oldest freeway for a few hours to make a point about planning and livability in Los Angeles.

1 minute read

May 20, 2004, 1:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


" 'Where the rubber meets the road' takes on a whole new meaning when cyclists and pedestrians reclaim an L.A. highway as a step toward more sustainable communities... The Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway, known to commuters as the Pasadena or 110 Freeway, is the oldest freeway in the western United States. Completed in 1940, it carries 120,000 cars a day through the broad canyon of the Arroyo Seco, which runs southwest from the mountains above Pasadena toward downtown Los Angeles. For much of its length, the parkway's six narrow lanes wind along the concrete channel that holds what's left of the Arroyo's stream. Together, the road and stream pass through a dense urban landscape of pocket parks and arching bridges, leaning sycamores and historic homes. Shutting down a freeway in Los Angeles -- even for a few hours -- might seem comparable to driving a lance through a windmill."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 in Orion Online

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