Grumblings out of Universal City, where pedestrian and transit advocates are not super-thrilled about those plans to build an elevated pedestrian bridge connecting the Universal City Red Line station with the NBCUniversal campus. The $20 million plan calls for a "three-cornered bridge" that will "cross Lankershim Boulevard, and cross Universal Hollywood Drive to connect with the commercial building on that corner," as described by the LA Daily News--it comes out of a very old settlement with NBCUni in which Metro agreed to build some kind of pedestrian connection (about 700 to 800 pedestrians cross Lankershim at peak hours). Original plans called for a tunnel (which LADOT staffers still say is a better option), but the construction and maintenance would've cost too much.
Finally this summer Metro unveiled plans for the bridge, but now "critics argue a three-pronged pedestrian bridge is awkward-looking" and "evokes old planning notions, like building sky bridges to get people off the ground." Now that NBCUni is going ahead with its huge Universal City redevelopment plans (and can only benefit from a better connection between transit and its property), some people are suggesting it split the cost of a better option with Metro.
· Critics question $20M pedestrian bridge at Lankershim Boulevard [LADN]
· Metro Planning Ped Bridge at Universal City Red Line Stop [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...