Los Angeles River bicycle path

Baum Bicycle Bridge at Los Feliz Boulevard

The Los Angeles River bicycle path is a Class I bicycle and pedestrian path in the greater Los Angeles area running north/east along the Los Angeles River through Griffith Park in an area known as the Glendale Narrows. The 7.4 mile section of bikeway through the Glendale Narrows is known as the Elysian Valley Bicycle & Pedestrian Path.^[1] The bike path also runs from the city of Vernon to Long Beach, California. This section is referred to as the Los Angeles River Bikeway.

Following the Los Angeles Flood of 1938, concrete banks were created as a flood control measure for nearly all the length of the river, making it essentially navigable by bicycle to its end, where it empties into the San Pedro Bay in Long Beach. In recent years, the Friends of the Los Angeles River, a local civic and environmental group, have attempted to restore portions of the river as parkland in a manner that includes and encourages bicycle and pedestrian traffic, efforts realized in part as local Congressman Brad Sherman secured $460,000 in federal funds to extend the path north in the Sherman Oaks area.

Path Description

Access at PCH in Long Beach

The LA river bicycle path consists of two separate sections that do not connect with each other except by city streets. The first and longest section begins in Long Beach at the mouth of the river up to Atlantic Blvd. in Vernon, southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. This segment, while looking very nice in most areas of the path itself, runs through some of the more dangerous sections of the greater Los Angeles Area. While most of the time there are no problems on the path, extra caution should be practiced when riding alone or at night. Access to the path in Long Beach is found where the riverbed intersects the following city streets: Pacific Coast Highway, Willow, Wardlow and Del Amo. In Long Beach, the bike path runs on the east side of the river bed. When the river intersects with Imperial Highway, bikers must exit the river path, cross the river over the roadway bridge,and re-enter the continuing bike path on the west side of the river. This is because the bike path on the East side of the river continues northeast onto the Rio Hondo and becomes a separate trail, heading on a different river. Mileage markers are painted on the pavement and signs are posted at regular intervals detailing upcoming city streets.

The Los Angeles River at Riverside Drive, looking east, with bike path visible on the right.

The second section of the path runs alongside the L.A. River from the border of Burbank, California & Glendale, California at Victory Blvd and Riverside Drive to Egret Park in Elysian Valley.^[2] This 7.4 miles section is known as the Elysian Valley Bicycle & Pedestrian Path. It runs through Glendale, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Atwater Village and Elysian Valley. This scenic area is known as Glendale Narrows. There are numerous entry points and parks including Egret Park, Oso Park, Steelhead Park, Riverdale Mini-Park, Elysian Valley Gateway Park, Marsh Park, Rattlesnake Park, Crystal Park, Sunnynook River Park, Rio de Los Angeles State Park and Griffith Park.

The river still has no path between the Golden State Freeway and Atlantic Boulevard, or anywhere west of Riverside Drive in the San Fernando Valley except between Mason and Vanalden Avenues.

Future Development

On July 23, 2013 the nonprofit group Los Angeles River Revitalization Corp. announced a goal of completing a continuous 51-mile greenway and bike path along the river by the end of the decade.^[3] The path is envisioned to be the central focus of a linear recreational park as well as providing an alternative transportation path through Los Angeles. The announcement by the nonprofit group precedes the expected August 30 release of a feasibility study being prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps have the ultimate decision-making power over the river and it future revitalization.^[4]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Los Angeles River bicycle path.

• Los Angeles River - L.A. Bike Paths

Coordinates: 33°47′24″N 118°12′14″W / 33.79011°N 118.20395°W / 33.79011; -118.20395