The makeover of the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge, which crosses the LA River between Silver Lake and Atwater Village, has been riling up locals for well over a year now—the point of contention has generally been sidewalks, and how much space there'd be allotted for walkers, bikers, and drivers. Accessibility advocates have been rooting for a new bridge with space for walkers, bikers, and cars, and with two sidewalks, one on each side of the bridge. But today, says the Eastsider LA, the LA City Council voted unanimously on a plan for the bridge—and the one they chose has only one sidewalk, four lanes of car traffic, and two unprotected bike lanes.
The approved plan for the $50-million retrofit and redesign of the bridge does not include a "road diet" that would have made space for two sidewalks and buffered bike lanes by taking away one car traffic lane (leaving three).
Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Mitch O'Farrell, whose districts are in part connected by the bridge, backed the road-diet-less plan, the LA Times says. O'Farrell was quoted before the vote as saying,"The support in my district is overwhelming opposed to an unecessary road diet. To needlessly create a regional traffic jam five days a week because of a road diet is just folly."
The councilmembers recently and surely coincidentally proposed a bike and pedestrian bridge that would cross the river next to the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge and start work in 2018. But many walkability advocates say that the bridge won't be the same as putting two sidewalks on the bridge itself, and that people would likely just walk on the shoulder of the bridge or in the bike lanes.
· City Council rejects road diet for Glendale-Hyperion bridge [ELA]
· L.A. OKs bridge plan opposed by bicyclists and pedestrian activists [LAT]
· Vote About Glendale-Hyperion Bridge Could Dash Neighbors' Hopes For Better Bike Lanes and Sidewalks [LAW]
· Silver Lake and Atwater Village Getting New Pedestrian/Bike Bridge Over the LA River [Curbed LA]
· Glendale-Hyperion Bridge Makeover Will Include Bike Lanes [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...