Compton Creek Trails Community Assessment CONTENTS
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Compton Creek Trails Community Assessment CONTENTS I. Introduction 2 II. Executive Summary 5 III. Plan Review Summary 9 IV. Current Condition 10 Historical Context 10 Community Facilities and Resources 17 Physical Conditions 23 V. Community Outreach 38 VI. Recommendations and Action Plan 42 Action Items 43 1. Infrastructure Improvements 43 2. Making Connections 46 3. Building a Coalition 48 4. Trail Attractions 49 5. Marketing 51 6. Addressing Safety 52 VII. Conclusion 53 Appendix A: Plan Review 54 Appendix B: Survey Analysis 60 Appendix C: Bibliography 63 Compton Creek Trails Community Assessment Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Project Team: Steve Schweigerdt kelly pack Jay Rauschenbach ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) would like to thank the local community organizations helping to raise the profile of the trail in Compton, including Saul Figueroa with El Nido Family Centers, Mayisha Akbar with Compton Jr. Posse, Rhonda Webb with LEAPS, and the Compton High School Recycling Club. Compton Creek Taskforce members provided information and resources critical to our work, particularly Alex Kenefick of LASGRWC for orientation and his planning work in the watershed. We would also like to acknowledge the city of Compton for their leadership in creation and implementation of the Garden Creek Master Plan. And finally, RTC wishes to thank and acknowledge The Kresge Foundation for their generous support of the Urban Pathways Initiative. Rails-to-tRails ConseRvanCy • Compton CReek tRails Community assessment • III INTRODUCTION Residents walk along the Compton Creek Bike Path to access Gateway Towne Center shopping area. 2 • Compton CReek tRails Community assessment • Rails-to-tRails ConseRvanCy INTRODUCTION I. INTRODUCTION In 2009, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) began a multi-year project to ensure that residents along the Compton Creek bike, equestrian and walking trails were involved in using and supporting their trails, as well as to provide opportunities for programs and activities. RTC’s involvement comes through the Urban Pathways Initiative, supported by The Kresge Foundation, as one of five projects around the country receiving in-depth assistance to maximize use of their trails in metropolitan areas. In phase one, RTC evaluated the environmental and social conditions of the trail and adjacent neighborhoods. Combined with empirical research and community participation, RTC created the following multi-year action strategy (hereafter, “Report”) for encouraging use and community stewardship of the trail. Compton Creek Paths: An Emerging Opportunity to Connect Neighborhoods to Healthy Lifestyles The Compton Creek bike path and multi-use trail (hereafter, “Trail” where referenced together) passes through the urban residential neighborhoods along the northern stretch of channelized Compton Creek for 2.85 miles, with the bike path following the east side and the multi-use trail on the west side of the channel. A separate 1.82-mile section of bike path runs through the industrial area south of the Artesia Freeway to Del Amo in unincorporated Los Angeles County. While these trail segments are already in place, there are opportunities to extend and connect the segments to each other as well as other regional pathways along the Los Angeles River. The trail system has additional potential for improvements in connections and awareness with the surrounding neighborhoods. The recent Compton Creek Regional Garden Park Master Plan effectively lays out a vision and design for transformation of the corridor into a greenway with adjacent pocket parks and recreational amenities, as well as improved connections to the surrounding neighborhoods. The Garden Park Master Plan provides great detail regarding implementation tasks for infrastructure and programming. This Report provides an assessment of the current status of the Trail and the connections into the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as the important health linkages the Trail can provide to adjacent neighborhoods. The focus is on the northern segment of the trail that lies within the city of Compton. Rails-to-tRails ConseRvanCy • Compton CReek tRails Community assessment • 3 n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nnn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n nn n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n nn n n nnn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n nn n nn n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n nn n n n n n nn n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nnn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n nn n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n INTRODUCTn ION n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n nn n n n n n n n n n n n n n n While trails providen many benefits to the community, n n n n Compton, CA n n Compton Creek BikImepe Priaal Htwhy n n n M n n n a n one of the most important is the improved opportunity n n n n n n e rti n n v n n n L n A u n n n n l n th n n n n n 105 n e to engage in healthy lifestyles. With mounting concerns n n n ra n r n n t n ¨¦§ Ki n n n n n ngn n n n e n n n Jr n C Bl n n v about the personal and societaln costs of the obesity n n n n n n n d n n n n crisis, one key strategy to combat thisn trend is to providen n n n n t n S n n n n n n n n t Centennial n n n o r L S n o d n High School neighbor hoods with places where residents can e El Segu n n ndo Blvd n i g P a n n n Sibrie Park n n n n Be n n n M n n n n Enterprise e conveniently engage in regular exercise.