Los Angeles Harbor Area
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Los Angeles Harbor Area - California Coastal Trail Access Analysis Prepared in support of Los Angeles Harbor Area Public Access & Urban Waterfront Plan Prepared by Duvivier Architects California State Coastal Conservancy L.A. Harbor Watts Economic Development Corporation MAY 2005 Table of Contents Introduction, 1 Executive Summary, 1 Existing and Future Destinations along Proposed Coastal Trail, 2 Conditions Matrix, 3 Coastal Trail Master Map, 7 Chapter 1 Lower Coastal Trail - San Pedro, 8 Chapter 6 Lower Coastal Trail - Wilmington/Long Beach, 80 From Shoreline Park to the future Harry Bridges Parkway/Wilmington Buffer From Harry Bridges Parkway to Queen Mary Chapter 2 Upper Coastal Trail at Pacific - San Pedro, 36 Chapter 7 Upper Coastal Trail at Anaheim - Wilmington/Long Beach, 93 From Point Fermin Park to Knoll Hill From Machado Lake to Los Angeles River Chapter 3 Upper Coastal Trail at Gaffey - San Pedro, 43 Chapter 8 Upper Coastal Trail at PCH - Wilmington/Long Beach, 105 From Point Fermin Park to Machado Lake From Machado Lake to Los Angeles River Chapter 4 Spur Roads - San Pedro, 55 Chapter 9 Spur Roads - Wilmington/Long Beach, 111 Chapter 5 Connectors - San Pedro, 67 Chapter 10 Connectors - Wilmington/Long Beach , 121 The goal of this analysis is to identify coastal access opportunities, to improve and provide a continuous trail along the coast from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the Los Angeles River. Implementation of these proposed improvements will reconnect adjacent communities to this important waterfront area. Summary of Proposed California Coastal Trail through San Pedro, Wilmington Introduction and the harbor area of Long Beach Executive Summary The California Coastal Trail through San Pedro, Wilmington and the harbor area of Long Beach splits into two branches called the Lower and Upper Coastal Trails. The Lower Coastal Trail typically follows the coastline adjacent to the water’s edge or as close as possible. The Upper Coastal Trails are parallel to the Lower Coastal Trail and slightly inland, connecting the heart of the residential and commercial communities through which it travels. Goal Lower Coastal Trail - San Pedro The Lower Coastal Trail in San Pedro connects regional visitors and local residents to The California Coastal Trail is a continuous public right-of-way along the California important coastal resources such as: Shoreline Park, White Point, Wilder’s Addition, coastline; a trail designed to foster appreciation and stewardship of the scenic and Flores Park, Point Fermin, Sunken City, Pacific Overlook, Cabrillo Beach and Aquar- natural resources of the coast through hiking, biking and other complementary modes ium, Wailer’s Walk, The Crescent, Beacon Street Bluff/Plaza Park, LA Maritime of non-motorized transportation. Museum and Knoll Hill. Most of this part of the California Coastal Trail incorporates already developed pedestrian and bicycle routes, which are in mostly good condition. This trail is meant to: There are a few sections in need of improvements and a few missing links. • Provide a continuous connection to the shoreline at appropriate intervals and sufficient transportation access to encourage public use. Upper Coastal Trails - San Pedro • Provide a valuable experience for the user by protecting the natural environment and The Upper Coastal Trails in San Pedro along both Pacific and Gaffey connect regional cultural resources while also providing public access to beaches, scenic vistas, wildlife visitors and local residents to important natural resources such as: Point Fermin, viewing areas, recreational or interpretive facilities, and other points of interest. Angel’s Gate Park, L.A. Harbor Waterfront Gateway Park, Harbor View Trail, Knoll • Create linkages to other trail systems and urban population centers. Hill; Bandini Canyon, Peck and Leland Parks, Navy Fuel Depot habitat area, and Machado Lake. These two trails also connect local residents to the vibrant downtown California Coastal Trail development through San Pedro, Wilmington and the harbor San Pedro. Some of the trail incorporates already developed pedestrian and bicycle area of Long Beach is to connect the existing trails at Palos Verdes, Paseo del Mar routes, which are in mostly good condition. The new segments will require some and Point Fermin Park to the Los Angeles River while also connecting the coast to level of improvement especially through the commercial heart of San Pedro due to the the adjacent communities. abundance of vehicle traffic and the restrictive road widths. The California State Coastal Conservancy’s report, Completing the California Coastal Spur Roads - San Pedro Trail, adopted in 2003, identifies the area between Palos Verdes and Long Beach, as Spur Roads are additional trails that are not necessary to complete the California one of five projects in need of additional access facilities and access improvement in Coastal Trail but are important because of the interesting places they access. In San Los Angeles County. It states that, “The Coastal Conservancy will assist the Cities Pedro the spurs connect regional visitors and local residents to the working waterfront, of Los Angeles and Long Beach in providing a continuous pedestrian and bicycle trail marinas, fishing wharves and the harbor from the base of the Crescent and Miner to around the western and northern edge of the harbor area from Cabrillo Beach to the the L.A. Maritime Museum. While few of these routes are existing, none need a lot of Los Angeles River Trail.” improvement and could easily be incorporated into the Coastal Trail network. Introduction 1 Connectors - San Pedro views, parkway and fishing areas just beyond the Queen Mary. While neither of Connectors connect the Lower Coastal Trail and the waterfront with the Upper Coastal these spurs are existing, they do not require a lot of improvement and could easily be Trails, the local neighborhoods and downtown San Pedro. They also connect to incorporated into the Coastal Trail network. important open spaces and natural resources such as: Friendship Park, Averill Park, Harbor View Trail, Bandini Canyon and Leland and Peck Parks. Some of connectors in Connectors - Wilmington San Pedro are existing. Most need some improvements. Connectors connect the Lower Coastal Trail and the waterfront with the Upper Coastal Trails, the local neighborhoods and downtown Wilmington. They also connect to Lower Coastal Trail - Wilmington important open spaces and natural resources such as: Machado Lake and Bixby The Lower Coastal Trail in Wilmington connects regional visitors and local residents Slough, Harry Bridges Parkway/Wilmington Buffer, Willhall Park and the Los Angeles to important coastal resources such as: Harry Bridges Parkway/Wilmington Buffer, River. Some of the connectors are existing. Most need some improvements. Bannings Landing, Los Angeles River and the Wilmington waterfront. Through Wilm- ington all of the Lower Coastal Trail is proposed and would require a higher level Format and Content of improvement. This analysis is comprised of ten chapters which cover distinct geographic sections of Upper Coastal Trails - Wilmington the proposed trail. Chapters 1-5 cover San Pedro and Chapters 6-10 cover Wilmington The Upper Coastal Trails in Wilmington along both Anaheim and Pacific Coast High- and the harbor area of Long Beach. way connect regional visitors and local residents to important natural resources such as; Machado Lake, Willhall Park, Banning Park, East Wilmington Greenbelt and the Each chapter has an overview map, and is further broken into small segments of the Los Angeles River. These two trails also connect local residents to the downtown trail. Each segment has a key map, photographs that visually document trail aspects, a Wilmington on Avalon. Almost none of the Wilmington Upper Coastal Trails at site description, and a list of existing assets, constraints, and opportunities that pertain Anaheim is existing. All of the Wilmington Upper Coastal Trails at Pacific Coast to the conditions of that trail segment. The trail segments are arranged contiguously as Highway is existing. However whether existing or proposed, all segments of the Upper much as possible so that the reader can get a feel for the proposed trail. Coastal Trails in Wilmington require a substantial level of improvement to make them pedestrian and bicycle-friendly. The Los Angeles Harbor Area Public Access and Urban Waterfront Plan, bound separately as a summary and companion document to this access analysis, provide Spur Roads - Wilmington greater focus on specific early implementation projects that build upon the analysis Spur Roads are additional trails that are not necessary to complete the California contained within this report. That document provides both the planning perspective and Coastal Trail but are important because of the interesting places they access. In implementation details to initiate a series of projects that will demonstrate meaningful Wilmington the spurs connect regional visitors and local residents to the working progress in meeting the needs for connections and access facilities outlined in the 2003 waterfront and marinas of the East Basin at the mouth of the Dominguez and Cerritos Coastal Conservancy report noted above. Channel. In Long Beach the spur connects the existing bike path/route to the incredible Introduction 2 Introduction 3 Existing and Future Destinations along Proposed Coastal Trail 1-Avalon 2-East Wilmington Greenbelt 11-Machado Lake 3-L.A. River bike path 110 FRWY 10-Bandini