Area Officials Host Potrero Canyon Park Proposed Bridge Project Meeting

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

More than 120 members of the community tuned in Tuesday evening, December 5, for a virtual meeting regarding the proposed Potrero Canyon Pacific Coast Highway Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Project, hosted by the office of Councilmember Traci Park, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and office of Senator Ben Allen.

“This meeting is part of my commitment to bring transparency and engagement to infrastructure projects in our district,” Park wrote in a letter ahead of the meeting. “A pedestrian crossing from [George Wolfberg Park at] Potrero Canyon to Will Rogers State Beach is needed to provide safe access across Pacific Coast Highway and is required by the California Coastal Commission.”

During the first 30 minutes of the meeting, several area officials spoke on the history of the bridge project and what the next steps will be, including Park, David Card (speaking as a landscape architect and project proponent), Potrero Canyon Park Project Manager Kristen Ly, Interim Bridge Project Manager Jose Beristain and representatives from the office of Senator Allen.

“While concerns remain about potential landslides, fault lines and security, those issues will be addressed through field studies and analyses by the Bureau of Engineering, the Department of Building and Safety, and Jacobs Engineering as the project moves forward to ensure that the placement and the construction of the bridge are both safe and feasible,” Park said at the start of the meeting.

In 1987, the California Coastal Commission permit granted for the park required access to the beach, Card then explained. Beginning in the 1990s, there was a series of public meetings among homeowners and residents with several city agencies, with “wide consensus reached” for a bridge over PCH, according to Card.

The Potrero Canyon Community Advisory Committee—with the late George Wolfberg serving as its chair—hosted more than 30 public meetings between 2005 and 2008, Card continued, when a final report was issued and “unanimously approved by the full committee.”

The passive park, Ly explained next, consists of about 46 acres, stretching from Palisades Recreation Center to Pacific Coast Highway. The park saw its grand opening in December 2022.

Though bikes are not allowed in the park, parkgoers will be encouraged to ride to the area and lock their bike up, as well as use the beach path nearby, so the bridge will be used by cyclists.

It was explained in an email from CD 11 that in 2016, the city of LA commissioned a “technical memorandum” to evaluate four crossings from the park to the beach, and based on “the evaluation of the applicable criteria,” the proposed bridge has been named the “best alternative to connect” the two.

Senator Allen secured $11 million in state funds in 2021, dedicated to the proposed bridge project, including its design and construction. Previous Congressmember Ted Lieu secured additional funding for a lateral trail, which is also being pursued (not instead of the bridge, CD 11 District Director Gabriela Medina explained) and will connect the park to Temescal Canyon Road.

“They are two separate projects that meet two separate requirements under the Coastal Development Permit and under Coastal Commission,” Medina explained, “but both projects are funded and moving forward accordingly.”

Beristain added that Jacobs Engineering is required to conduct a minimum of 15 stakeholder meetings and three project milestone public meetings as part of its contract. There will also be a website with a project overview, schedule, meeting notes, links to resources and additional information.

The remaining time of the meeting—about 60 minutes—was dedicated to anyone who wished to speak in support or opposition of the project, as well as to ask questions. During the public comment portion, more than 30 people spoke—a split between those who support the bridge, those who were against it being built as proposed and those who had questions for the area officials in attendance.

“I believe the issue [is] the bridge needs more study,” one resident said. “There has not been enough community discussion regarding the pros and cons … it’s not a NIMBY issue, it’s a safety issue.”

“I can’t think of anything more wonderful than completing the Emerald Necklace of Pacific Palisades to the beach—that’s Potrero Canyon and Temescal, with the clasp reaching over to the Pacific Ocean,” another resident commented.

Another attendee said that he was “rather concerned” that it sounded like a decision had been made to build the bridge: “I don’t think that decision is the proper one, and it’s not a good use of public funds.”

Jacobs Engineering, selected by the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering, Bridge Improvement Division, will now undertake a $2.2 million pre-design Project Approval and Environmental Document phase of the project.

“As the project proceeds,” read a flyer from Park’s office, “we want to hear from you.”

Those who wish to receive future communications regarding the project are encouraged to email cd11rsvp@lacity.org or visit councildistrict11.lacity.gov for more information.