Community Comes Together to Advance the LA River Bike Path
The Webinar
Last week, SAFE and Festival Trail co-hosted a Finish the LA River Bike Path by 2028" webinar. This event brought together advocates and community members who all share a common goal: pushing Metro to finally close the eight-mile gap in the LA River Bike Path and deliver 32 miles worth of safe, continuous active transportation across Los Angeles County.
The LA River Bike Path is one of the region’s most important yet incomplete pieces of infrastructure. While several segments already serve thousands of cyclists and walkers each year, the gap through downtown LA continues to force people onto dangerous streets, undermining the path’s potential to provide safe, equitable access for commuting and recreation. This webinar was an opportunity to break down where the project stands today, what’s needed to move it forward, and how the public can play a role in ensuring it's completed.
During the webinar, we outlined the project's history and the significance of voter-approved Measure M funding, which committed over $300 million to completing the path. Participants learned how the proposed Metro project would close the gap, connect communities along the river, and create a truly regional corridor that supports biking, walking, and rolling for people of all ages and abilities. The conversation also highlighted how a completed bike path would advance broader public health and traffic safety goals.
Why the LA River
This project is not just about infrastructure, it’s about people. This bike path will do everything from providing a safe route to work or school to creating new opportunities for recreation and connection to nature. Completing the LA River Bike Path would help us move towards Vision Zero and reduce traffic violence, improve air quality, and offer an affordable transportation option at a time when many are looking for alternatives to driving.
But there are challenges ahead. Large-scale public projects require sustained political will, interagency coordination, and continued community engagement. Attendees were encouraged to stay involved, speak up at key decision points, and hold decision-makers accountable to the promises made when voters passed Measure M.
Interested in joining the coalition working to advance this project? Sign up for our communications list here.
This event is just one step in a longer journey.
Completing the LA River Bike Path is achievable, but only if public agencies hear loud and clear that Angelenos expect progress, transparency, and action. We encourage everyone who cares about safer streets, equitable infrastructure, and a healthier Los Angeles to stay engaged, share what you learned, and continue advocating for a connected LA River Bike Path.
Together, we can close the gap and create a river corridor that truly works for everyone.