Proposed River Bed Bike Path Would Connect Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles

"The Los Angeles City Council yesterday adopted a motion by Councilmember José Huizar to advance the construction of a bike path along the Los Angeles River's Downtown section," reports Carren Jao.

The City Council action provides government support for a project that so far had been moved forward by a wealthy resident of Downtown Los Angeles. "The proposal was brought forth by real estate developer and downtown resident Yuval Bar-Zemer of Linear City, who used his personal funds to consult with geo-engineers at Geosyntec and designers at wHY Architecture to explore solutions." 

"According to Bar-Zemer's plan, an almost 9-mile bike path would be built right on the river bed, connecting Riverside Drive to the north, to Atlantic Boulevard in Vernon to the south. The path would create a continuous 31-mile bike route from Griffith Park to Long Beach, working its way through the most problematic areas of downtown Los Angeles, which have traditionally been hemmed in by pre-existing infrastructure like the railroads and freeways."

Catherine Saillant, writing for the Los Angeles Times also describes the potential significance of the proposal: "Ordering the study also brings closer to fruition a long-held goal of cycling enthusiasts, river advocates and environmentalists: another way to commute to downtown without getting in a car."