The Los Angeles City Council Friday approved a motion calling for funding to improve accessibility improvements for pedestrian bridges and tunnels in the Third District.
The council approved the motion in a 12-0 vote with council members Kevin de León, Monica Rodriguez and Nithya Raman absent during the vote. The motion directs the Bureau of Engineering to submit a request for funding to ensure pedestrian bridges, tunnels and the streets leading to them are ADA-accessible.
According to a report from the Department of Public Works, it would cost about $891,375 to make the improvements in several locations in the Third District. Funding could potentially be provided from Measure R, Measure M, a gas tax or the city’s Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program.
Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who represents the 3rd District, which includes Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana, Winnetka and Woodland Hills, introduced the motion in November 2022.
As part of the city’s Mobility Plan 2035, a vision to make streets safer and friendlier for pedestrians, Blumenfield wants to improve some pedestrian bridges and tunnels in his district to ensure they are ADA-accessible, and more accessible for people using bikes, scooters or skateboards.
Many of these bridges and tunnels have steps or are obstructed by posts or other barriers, and others are not useful because they are not connected to sidewalks or do not have convenient curb cuts.
In addition, many of these locations lack lighting, and are a public safety concern.
“Ensuring that the pedestrian bridges and tunnels and the streets leading to them are ADA-accessible, accommodate bicycles and other low-speed wheeled devices, and are safe is a low-cost way of promoting active transportation and achieving our environmental and public health goals,” the motion reads.
Blumenfield is calling for improvements for the following bridges over waterways:
— Over the LA River, the bridges in Variel, Vanalden, Amigo, and Etiwanda;
— Over Arroyo Calabasas, the bridge in Kittridge;
— Over Browns Canyon Wash, the bridges in Valerio and Arminta;
— Over Aliso Creek, the bridges in Hart, Valerio and Arminta; and
— Over Caballero Creek, the bridge in Doman.
Additionally, Blumenfield is calling for improvements on pedestrian bridges and tunnels on the west end of Del Valley, Sale, Oakdale, Shirley, Vanalden and Etiwanda, which are over and under the 101 Highway.