The City of Los Angeles is spending $58.4 million for a three-mile bike lane and greenway project – costing $19 million per mile the Los Angeles Times reported.
Advocates of the L.A. River, and neighborhood councils have criticized the cost and location of the $58.4 million bike lane and greenway project. One environmental group wrote a public letter stating that there is “no supportable justification” for he proposed route and that the most “cost-effective” approach would be to use an existing bike path.
But it’s dog lovers who have the loudest bark, pushing back on its location along the L.A. River in the Sepulveda Basin. It would take out 4,204 square feet of the 6-acre Sepulveda Basin off-leash dog park.
Dog owners have asked for the bike path to be moved to the south side of the river, where there is some empty land and baseball fields. But the city Bureau of Engineering said that is not feasible because it would encroach on the baseball fields and there’s a lack of room on the south side.
To accommodate the dog owners’ concerns, the city is considering installing a 6- to 8-foot-tall fence along the river so that passing bikers won’t agitate the dogs, the Times reported.
This small, pricey chunk of land is part of a larger fight over the future of the Sepulveda Basin, where city officials want to build bicycle paths along the river before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
While this three-mile bike path is costing $19 million per mile, bicyclists and community leaders envision a continuous bike path along the 51-mile river.
Besides the path itself, under crossings, river parks and on-street improvements would be built, the Times reported. The project would see up to 63 trees removed, with the city adding 200 replacement trees.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
We're proud to make our journalism accessible to everyone, but producing high-quality investigative pieces still comes at a cost.
That's why we need your help. By making a contribution today, you'll be supporting RealClearInvestigations and ensuring that we can keep providing in-depth reporting that holds the powerful accountable.
Donate now and help us continue to publish distinctive journalism that makes a difference. Thank you for your support!
Support RealClearInvestigations →
