Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Bicycling

Eyes on the Street: Progress on New Elysian Valley Walk/Bike L.A. River Bridge

LongBeachize_Ad_Concepts
This article supported by Los Angeles Bicycle Attorney as part of a general sponsorship package. All opinions in the article are that of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of LABA. Click on the ad for more information.
false

The bridge itself isn't there yet, but the city of Los Angeles' new Elysian Valley walk/bike bridge is taking shape. There's a new central pier wall and falsework structures that show the future bridge's alignment.

The Elysian Valley bridge will be the downstream-most of four new bridges in the L.A. River's central earthen-bottom stretch called the Glendale Narrows. Two of the other bridges are complete and open - in North Atwater and Atwater Village. The fourth, which will connect Glendale to Griffith Park, is funded but not yet under construction.

Elysian Valley's bridge will span the L.A. River near the end of Altman Street. It will connect Elysian Valley (aka Frogtown) to Cypress Park and the planned large-scale river revitalization at Taylor Yard. Bridge project construction broke ground in June 2019 and is expected to be complete in 2021.

Taylor Yard bike/ped bridge xxxx
Taylor Yard walk/bike bridge rendering via Studio Pali Fekete architects
false

Streetsblog biked there last weekend and took a few photos.

On the Frogtown side of the river, the bridge on/off-ramp structure appears nearly complete.

The bridge's south approach structure under construction
The bridge's south approach structure under construction
false
Part of the approach includes these wave-shaped walls
Part of the approach includes these undulating walls/planters (see left side of rendering above)
false

In the middle of the river, the one central concrete pier wall is already built.

Spreading across the riverbed are a series of frames - called falsework - which will hold the bridge up during construction, and then be removed.

Some of the falsework will rest in cutouts in the sloped concrete channel walls.

Channel wall cuts to hold temporary falsework
In the foreground, channel wall cuts to hold temporary falsework
false

Sitting in the river bed, there's an under-construction metal structure that appears to be part of the central bridge span.

Long metal structure appears to be part of the bridge's central span
The long metal structure in the center of photo appears to be part of the bridge's central span
false

Earlier Streetsblog posts reported that the river path remained passable, but this is no longer the case. To bypass construction, pedestrians and cyclists can fairly easy follow construction detour signage for an alternate route on quiet Elysian Valley neighborhood streets.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

First OC Streetcar Arrives

The $649 million 4.1-mile OC Streetcar light rail line is 92 percent complete, and now anticipated to open in spring 2026

May 8, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

California and Trump continue to spar and more news from up and down the state.

May 8, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: ‘Normal’ is Not Correct, Someone Died Here

After a crash, the debris is quickly cleaned up and everyone moves on (usually too quickly). But these two experts are asking us to all slow down.

May 8, 2025

Metro Names Bill Scott as Chief of Police

Chief Scott and Metro leadership emphasized that keeping Metro transit safe would require a multi-faceted approach that included the deployment of officers as well as collaboration with the community, ambassadors, and service providers. "Sometimes enforcement is the answer," Scott said. "Sometimes it's not."

May 7, 2025

State Supreme Court Reinforces Rules that Cities Must Maintain Safe Roads

When Ty Whitehead was injured in a crash caused by a pothole in Oakland, it sparked an eight-year legal battle that is still being waged.

May 7, 2025
See all posts