CONNECT
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2015 Grants Challenge

Ballona Creek Pedestrian/Bike Connector Bridge

THarchitecture in has identified a dire need to safely connect the communities of Westchester, Inglewood, Playa Vista, Culver City, Mar Vista Marina Del Rey and Venice via pedestrian/bike friendly oriented paths, our proposal is to provide a Connector Pedestrian/Bike Bridge as a first step. The challenge: there is currently not a safe route that provides the residents of our community the ability to move north and south with existing Ballona Creek Bridges at Lincoln and Centinela.

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In what areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?

Westside

Ballona Creek between Play Vista, Mar Vista, Marina Del Rey and Culver City.

How do you plan to use these resources to make change?

Engage residents and stakeholders

Implement a pilot or new project

We need the resources to set up community meetings and

How will your proposal improve the following CONNECT metrics?​

Median travel time to work

Attendance at cultural events

Attendance at public/open streets gatherings (Dream Metric)

Residential segregation (Dream Metric)

Describe in greater detail how you will make LA the best place to CONNECT.

As indicated in the recent adoption of the Westside Mobility plan, there is a great need for alternative methods of transportation, a proposed Connector Ped/Bike Bridge is shown on the Westside Mobility Plan Map but not currently available. We believe the best method for mobility within the Westside is by cycling, skateboarding, walking and running, this provides a long term solution to the traffic problem in Los Angeles. LA has the ability to be just as bike friendly as our Euro neighbors or other West Coast City neighbors, however we need infrastructure to allow this to happen safely. Awareness is growing through cycLAvia and there is a growing community of people who commute via bike, but a long term solution is needed for the Westside and this proposal facilitates the development of a vast network of bike/ped paths that connect north and south as well as east and west. Currently a north south route does not exist on the west side across Ballona creek except for at the Beach path.

Our proposal will allow people, students, to move freely and commute safely. Currently there is not a safe method for Venice High students who live in Westchester to cycle to school since there is not easy access or bike path across Ballona Creek. Lincoln Blvd bridge is very dangerous and Centinela is equally as dangerous. Our proposal will allow pedestrian connection for daily commuting and daily recreation through the Parks at Playa Vista across Ballona creek and along Beethoven to access Alla Park and Moore Park. The Connector bridge will also allow a connection through the bike path along Marina 90 into Marina Del rey and Venice. Our proposal connects communities, allow for increase mobility with recreation, and facilitates future pedestrian oriented growth within the Westside and the surrounding LA area.

Please explain how you will evaluate your work.

Work will be evaluated by completion of the bridge and the resultant of additional bike/pedestrian friendly and safe paths on the Westside. We hope this project will catalyze future development of Bike/Pedestrian friendly paths. This will provide increased access to Healthy life styles, recreation and mobility between communities. We will provide increased access to the beach from communities that currently do not have safe access. We also will provide access to new grocery stores being built in Playa Vista. We suspect there is an Food Desert in the area we are working since there are so few grocery stores. Providing access over Ballona Creek will only further alleviate these conditions and provide access for the community to healthy lifestyles.

How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed

Money (financial capital)

Volunteers/staff (human capital)

Publicity/awareness (social capital)

Network/relationship support