Complete the LA River bike path

Let's finish the LA River bike path!

This month, the LA Metro Board votes May 28 on our proposal to complete the LA River trail. Enter your address below to find who on the Metro Board you should contact to urge them to #finishthepath.

LA Metro has the money

By approving Measure M in 2016, voters set aside more than enough funding to complete the river pathway through downtown LA, using an alignment in the channel. Ten years later, voters have a chance to see progress. On May 28, the LA Metro Board will vote on a proposal to create a special purpose agency dedicated to building the LA River bike path with an in-channel alignment, by the summer of 2028 if possible, and maintaining it indefinitely. This decision is a huge milestone. As soon as 2028, Angelenos and visitors may be able to enjoy a beautiful and safe bike ride alongside the Los Angeles River from the Valley to Long Beach.

We are asking Metro for the following actions:

  1. Adopt the in-channel design. The above-channel design costs $1.1 billion — $700 million more than available funding. An in-channel design costs less than available funding, providing extra money for other traffic safety projects. It will be closed due to flooding about 10–15 days a year.
  2. Create a Joint Powers Authority dedicated solely to delivering the project by 2028.
  3. Direct the CEO to begin the process to apply for a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers within 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

How often will the path be unusable due to rain?
Hydrological studies by the firm Geosyntec estimated that a path built six inches above the floor of the channel will be ridable 350 days of the year.
What about flash floods? Isn't it dangerous to be in the channel?
Stream gauges, precipitation gauges, and the weather forecast will trigger automatic closures of this portion of the path. Studies indicate we have four hours to clear the channel before floodwaters rise. With five points of access along this 8.5-mile stretch, that's plenty of time, even if an emergency crew has to go into the channel to remove someone who is injured.
Will this reduce the channel's capacity to carry water?
No. Hydrological studies show the path will not change water flow.
What's the rush? Does this fit with the Olympics?
The Festival Trail is a project of MoveLA that envisions a network of car-free corridors and activated festival spaces throughout Los Angeles during the Olympics and Paralympics of 2028. Millions of people from around the world will join millions of Angelenos in experiencing our region on foot, in transit, and on a bike. This section of the LA River bike path is absolutely essential to connect the region.
Why create a whole new government agency?
In a huge agency like LA Metro, with responsibility for hundreds of projects and a $9.8 billion budget, it is easy for a relatively simple but important project like a bike path to be neglected as a priority. A Festival Trail analysis of special purpose agencies around the country shows that an independent agency solely responsible for a singular piece of public infrastructure is a common strategy to expedite construction and ensure sustained attention.

Why this matters

Recreation. Completing the downtown portion of the in-channel bike path will dramatically increase the attractiveness of riding along the LA River to the cycling community. It will make riding more accessible to communities throughout Downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, East LA, Chinatown, Huntington Park, and Monterey Park.

Transportation. Downtown LA is home to over 500,000 jobs. Most people drive, but a growing number use transit — and with a dedicated in-channel path, cycling becomes viable for the first time. No mixing with buses, no traffic risk. Just a clear path through the heart of the city.

Environment. Every commuter who switches from car to bicycle reduces traffic, carbon emissions, and infrastructure costs — while improving their own health. This path makes that switch possible for thousands of people who currently have no safe route.

Sense of place. When you travel by bicycle, you know where you are. You stop. You notice things. A river-level path through the center of Los Angeles would transform how Angelenos experience their city — and how visitors from around the world understand it during the 2028 Games.

Access to parks and transit. Some of LA's best green spaces touch the river — Elysian Park, Griffith Park, Sycamore Grove, and more. Union Station, the largest ground transportation hub in the region, is steps from the river. This path connects them all.