1-Mile Park Over LA freeway

[lockmat]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fw...0,1732666.story

A feasibility report years in the making concludes that the freeway-top park would cost $950 million in today's dollars. Construction could begin as early as 2012.

The freeway conversion, backed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles redevelopment officials and local politicians, would turn the top of the freeway into a 44-acre "locals-first community park." It would serve what advocates say is one of the city's most parks-poor areas.

"It will be built," advocate Don Scott promised Hollywood residents as the 92-page report detailing its preliminary design concept was released Wednesday night.

[moni]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fw...0,1732666.story

Probably a good idea because that part of Hollywood is old and drab and like the article stated, it needs a park. I like the mention of hooking up Olvera Street with the Civic Center. This would be an easier and less expensive project and one the locals would really appreciate.

[lockmat]

Probably a good idea because that part of Hollywood is old and drab and like the article stated, it needs a park. I like the mention of hooking up Olvera Street with the Civic Center. This would be an easier and less expensive project and one the locals would really appreciate.

The price seems a little steep to me. $950 million? California is in debt over their head and they want build a park that expensive?

Kind of a cool idea, but... I don't know

[editor]

I've seen a few places where freeways were decked over for parks (Cincinnati did this around 2000). I think it's good for immediate benefit, but what about the long term? Doesn't that completely ruin any chances of ever expanding that thoroughfare?

[houstonmacbro]

Editor I kind of agree. I mean, neat concept, but who benefits. I realize they need park space in that area (or so they claim), but damn, I mean, converting a freeway into a park when Los Angless (according to that article) could see traffic on the underground come to a 2 mph crawl in the future because of it.

Just not sure this has reall been thought out all that well.

[lockmat]

Well it looks from here like the freeway would be submerged...which then I guess it isn't such a bad idea. i was thinking they would actually build the park over the freeway like a canopy, as if you had to take stairs up to the park.

But this is a similar concept to the north freeway tunnell. And didn't they do this in boston as well?

So maybe not as crazy as i thought. The difference seems to be that this is more focused on the park than it is relieving traffic congestion.

http://ecoangeleno.wordpress.com/2008/11/2...erpass-concept/

[BryanS]

Sounds like that Boston freeway nightmare project... let's bury the freeways. If you plan for it, in advance, before they are built, that can be a good thing. Trying to retro-fit something like a park on top of one... come on people.

[houstonmacbro]

Sounds like that Boston freeway nightmare project... let's bury the freeways. If you plan for it, in advance, before they are built, that can be a good thing. Trying to retro-fit something like a park on top of one... come on people.

Right. Isn't there a park in NYC that is built over sewage depot?

[editor]

Yeah, Boston has something like this. Also Seattle, I believe -- but I think only for its busway.

In Cincinnati when they buried I-71/I-75/I-471, they put a park and museums on top. It used to be known as the Fort Washington Trench.

Before:

After:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/transeng/imag...ranseng_img7094

Sorry it's only a map. I can't find any current photos that illustrate the covered patch.

In looking into it a little further, Columbus did the same thing with I-670. They did a pretty good job with it because I walked all around that bit of downtown and never noticed that there was a freeway below. These days it's a big restaurant district.

[Dan the Man]

The "park over a freeway" idea was brought up during the planning for widening 59 between Hazard and Montrose. Costs must have been prohibitive, so we got sound walls with growies and decorative bridges instead.

[kylejack]

The "park over a freeway" idea was brought up during the planning for widening 59 between Hazard and Montrose. Costs must have been prohibitive, so we got sound walls with growies and decorative bridges instead.

Seems pretty feasible right there. The contour is already accommodating.

[lockmat]

Yeah, Boston has something like this. Also Seattle, I believe -- but I think only for its busway.

In Cincinnati when they buried I-71/I-75/I-471, they put a park and museums on top. It used to be known as the Fort Washington Trench.

I'm not sure Cincinnati followed through with their plans...

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

[20thStDad]

I'm not sure Cincinnati followed through with their plans...

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

With as much public money as they spent on new baseball and football stadiums in the past 8 years it's no wonder. I can't say for sure that there isn't a park above a freeway there since I haven't driven around much when I've been there, but in my 8 trips there this year I never saw it. Again, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The freeway is still exposed, but trenched, between the CBD and the river. It's a really nice area though, there are trails along the river and several pedestrian routes across the river to Newport.

[editor]

With as much public money as they spent on new baseball and football stadiums in the past 8 years it's no wonder. I can't say for sure that there isn't a park above a freeway there since I haven't driven around much when I've been there, but in my 8 trips there this year I never saw it. Again, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The freeway is still exposed, but trenched, between the CBD and the river. It's a really nice area though, there are trails along the river and several pedestrian routes across the river to Newport.

From that Live map looks like the plan was somewhat changed.

When you hit that link, you actually need to pan west a little bit. The project area was from Sycamore Street to Central Avenue.

Replacing Cinergy Field and the old Bengals Stadium was part of the highway construction project. The way it used to be, Fort Washington Way stretched from 3rd Street all the way down to Theodore M. Berry Way. So they ended up getting all of that land back. Judging from the shadows cast on the Bengals parking lots, it looks like a lot of that greenspace is elevated. The interesting looking three-segment building at the corner of Rosa Park Street and East Freedom Way is the new Underground Railroad Museum. That was going to be the centerpiece of the elevated park.

Looking at the amount of abandoned land in the immediate vicinity, it looks like this is still a work in progress.

Here's a link to the I-670 cap in Columbus:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

Not a park, but you can see how the storefronts help provide neighborhood continuity rather than allow the freeway to divide the area.