Northeast Los Angeles Placemaking Competition: Undulating Bike Path

Project submitted by: Wayne Childs

Project Summary and Scale

An undulating and exciting new form of a bike and skating path, which ends in an water reclamation bowl, and when it's not raining it is a skatepark.

Why are you committed to this project?

I live in the neighborhood, and I get bored on a regular bike path. I believe in conservation of energy and understand that little rider input is required to keep rider momentum rolling on an undulating path. A dual use, exciting use, pretreating collection system of stormwater.

What are the most relevant characteristics of project site and scale?

There can be a communal node at the end of the system. The serpentine and undulating path alongside the river collects water at certain points and redistributes it through treating systems and back into the river.

Describe how this project will reinforce a sense of place or enhance the built environment.

All places need routes to get to them. This route is exciting, conserves energy, caters to the youth and action sport enthusiasts, would be a unique system never before seen outside of skate parks, and will be the pride and joy of the neighborhood youth and would attract adventure seekers from all across the L.A. basin. Water reclamation, alternative transportation, neighborhood attraction, uses unclaimed land along the river. Can be built with sustainable concrete (fly ash) materials, and would promote activity down by the river and along the route to get there.

Provide a description of the project's necessary planning activities.

Since it uses unclaimed land, like along the railroad tracks, there wouldn't be too many objectors. The water reclamation bowl would be simple to install permeable concrete in the all ready earthen bowl.

What is a rough estimate of your project budget?

$30-50k. Depending on length of undulating path. Most of the excavating is already done for the terminal bowl, and little site work is required for the path. Some concrete, probably a fence, is all that would be required.

How does this project leverage existing resources and efforts?

Uses all unused land. Its path could parallel the existing bike path, or railroad track, or electrical power towers that already exist.

What community need is your project serving?

Water reclamation, alternative transportation, conservation of (human) energy, youth activities, riverwalk activity opportunities.

If your project is realized, what does success look like?

A bustling skatepark area for kids in the water reclamation bowl. Bus riders getting off early to "skate" or "bike" the rest of the way home. Attracting people from other parts of town to come ride the system and spend their money on water at the local convenience store. Bike riders thrusting their way down the river on the undulating path. Smiles on the partakers faces because finally the ride home is exciting.