Yesterday, Baldwin Park city officials broke ground on a new bike/walk path along Big Dalton Wash and the San Gabriel River.
Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel Estrada praised the much-needed greening and active transportation benefits of the project for his park-poor city that suffers from air pollution due to being surrounded by freeways. Estrada professed his excitement over this "expansion of our bike and trail network... making it easier for people to get around town and the San Gabriel Valley without a car."
City Councilmember Paul Hernandez stated that he was thrilled to see this project deliver more green space to Baldwin Park, and more convenient connections to the hundred mile loop of bike paths, mainly along the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo, which he often rides. He noted that the path will serve not just cyclists, but also people on foot, scooter, and skates.
The groundbreaking took place at the city's Walnut Creek Nature Park, a hidden gem, which will be one of the access points along the new path.
The city's Big Dalton Wash Greening project includes a new 2.3-mile bike path, which will extend along the east side of the San Gabriel River (from Ramona Boulevard to the Big Dalton Wash) and the Big Dalton Wash (from the river to Baldwin Park Boulevard). The project includes crossings below two freeways, landscaping and watershed protection features, and a youth employment program.
Baldwin Park is planning a second project phase to extend the path further upstream to Hilda Solis Park. That second phase, already partially funded, will include four pocket park entry points, landscaping, picnic areas, public art, and more.
The initial phase of the path offers significant new connectivity to neighborhoods and employment centers (including Kaiser Permanente, UPS, and In-n-Out Burger headquarters) in the southern end of Baldwin Park. The area is isolated by the wash, the river, the 10 and 605 Freeways, rail and power line corridors, and relatively large-scale industrial development. The city borders the San Gabriel River, which has seen recent Emerald Necklace greening along its longstanding bike path. To get to the existing river path, Baldwin Park residents have to cross the 605 Freeway and the river itself. The new bike path will make that connection easier and safer.
Baldwin Park's wash path phases have received funding from several transportation and park agency programs: the Metro Call for Projects, California's Active Transportation Program (ATP), California Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization program, L.A. County Proposition C, and from the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC).
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