LA County Public Works

Use the river corridor as a living laboratory where ongoing innovation is encouraged.

Due to the broad range of conditions along the LA River, it is an ideal place to test varied ecosystem strategies. A living laboratory also provides opportunities for education and community participation in various strategies. Several organizations and schools have already…

Use environmentally responsible practices for operations and maintenance of the river channel and adjacent lands.

Healthy, connected urban ecosystems rely not just on large physical investments but on more regular operations and maintenance practices. Environmentally friendly practices and products are widely available today. However, their application often differs from the use of their traditional counterparts, highlighting…

Create a connective network of habitat patches and corridors to facilitate the movement of wildlife and support a diverse resilient ecological community.

Habitat patches are discrete areas, whereas habitat corridors are linear linkages that ensure connectivity between patches. While patches are valuable and important for birds and insect species, enhancing and interconnecting urban habitat patches with larger habitat areas beyond the LA River…

Increase plant species biodiversity, and focus on the use of local California native plants in and around the river corridor.

Individual plants do not exist in isolation. They exist within the context of other plant species, soils, microclimates, and wildlife, and each has a specific function within the larger ecosystem. The more diversity within an ecosystem, the more robust and resilient…

Repurpose single-use spaces, such as power-line easements, rail rights-of-way, or flood infrastructure, to serve multiple functions such as multi-use trails or habitat, and prioritize spaces that are in high and very high park need areas.

With little vacant land and relatively high property values and construction costs, LA County cannot afford to have spaces that serve only a single purpose. Multiple uses of space are necessary to ensure benefits outweigh costs.

Ensure design excellence within and along the river corridor.

Excellence in design enhances function. From the earliest stages of project development, it is important to consider how a project can be beautiful while addressing multiple needs of adjacent communities. Design excellence requires an attention to quality of built structures, the…

Complete the LA River Trail so that there is a continuous route along the entire river, and encourage future routes on both sides where feasible.

As a recreation and transportation route, the LA River Trail serves multiple purposes. However, it has yet to live up to its full potential because it is fragmented. A continuous route along the entire river would serve as a major…

Provide support facilities at a regular cadence along the length of the river, on both sides where feasible.

Basic amenities, such as signage, benches, and water fountains, make casual and experienced users more comfortable. In addition, the climate in LA County makes for many hot days throughout the year that can negatively affect usage. Shade and water can mitigate…

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Use the river corridor as a living laboratory where ongoing innovation is encouraged.

Use environmentally responsible practices for operations and maintenance of the river channel and adjacent lands.

Create a connective network of habitat patches and corridors to facilitate the movement of wildlife and support a diverse resilient ecological community.

Increase plant species biodiversity, and focus on the use of local California native plants in and around the river corridor.

Repurpose single-use spaces, such as power-line easements, rail rights-of-way, or flood infrastructure, to serve multiple functions such as multi-use trails or habitat, and prioritize spaces that are in high and very high park need areas.

Ensure design excellence within and along the river corridor.

Complete the LA River Trail so that there is a continuous route along the entire river, and encourage future routes on both sides where feasible.

Provide support facilities at a regular cadence along the length of the river, on both sides where feasible.

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Design Guidelines

Technical Volume