(photo courtesy of the 13th District Council Office)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of removing some of the temporary protective barriers that were placed along the most vulnerable stretches of the Los Angeles River. The barriers were placed there as an El Niño risk reduction measure due to the reduced capacity in some sections of the river from accumulated sediment and vegetation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to restore access for cyclists, equestrians and pedestrians. On the west bank of the river, all temporary protective barriers will be removed from the bike path from just north of Los Feliz Boulevard to a location just north of Hyperion Avenue. Access will be opened on the east bank of the river at the equestrian crossing near Verdant Street, the pedestrian bridge at Sunnynook Drive, and at a point south of Dover Street. “As capacity is restored in the channel from our operations and maintenance activities, we will continue to remove additional temporary barriers,” said David Van Dorpe, Los Angeles District deputy for programs and project management. “We’re moving forward deliberately to ensure we can restore as much public access as possible.” The corps will continue to evaluate alternatives to address flood risk during the summer in anticipation of next storm season. The removal work is anticipated to take several weeks. Once a barrier is removed from the bike path, LADOT will evaluate the pathway before reopening it to cyclists.