Eyes on the Street: San Fernando Road Bike Path Nearly Complete

Streetsblog got a chance to check out the progress on the city of L.A.'s under-construction San Fernando Road bike path. The project, officially the San Fernando Phase III Bike Path, appears mostly complete, but still has a few gaps where construction is proceeding.

LA City Transportation Department (LADOT) spokesperson Colin Sweeney notes that the department expects the new path to be completed by the end of 2022, though the contractor has through next February to finish.

The new phase continues 4.2 miles southeast from Branford all the way to the border between L.A. and Burbank - at the Burbank Airport North Metrolink Station. When complete, the path will extend a total of ten miles!

The new facility cost an estimated $31 million, according to a 2019 LADOT project fact sheet. Funding came from a California Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant, a U.S. Congestion Management Air Quality (CMAQ) grant, and other city funds.

The majority of the path already has new asphalt, lighting, fencing, landscaping, and some bicycle-activated signals in place. The project also includes new crosswalks, new ADA-accessible ramps, and major traffic/railroad signal modification at twelve intersections.

Even the not-quite-finished path is already in use by cyclists, runners, and pedestrians.

The new bike bridge over the Tujunga Wash is open.

There are a few gaps remaining - including both sides of Tuxford Street (in Sun Valley) and near the Burbank border.

Thanks to LADOT, Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Nury Martinez for getting this project built. And thanks to CiclaValley for piquing SBLA's interest by tweeting out construction photos late last year.