Expo Bike Path
{{Short description|Rail with trail bicycle path in Los Angeles County, California}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox cycling path
| name = Expo Bike Path
| embed =
| cellstyle =
| photo = Expo Line Bikeway in Culver City with passing E Line train.jpg
| photo_size = 220px
| photo_alt = E Line train passes Expo Bike Path in Culver City; Hayden Tract architectural landmark visible in distance, native oak tree overhangs the path
| caption = Path between {{LAMs|La Cienega/Jefferson}} and {{LAMs|Culver City}} stations
| title =
| established = 2012
| completed = 2016
| length_mi = 12{{refn|group=note|name=first|There is a distance of {{convert|2.1|mi|km}} worth of gaps. Without gaps, the mileage would be {{convert|9.9|mi|km}}.}}
| location = Los Angeles County, California, United States
| designation =
| trailheads = {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|La Cienega/Jefferson}}
{{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|17th Street/SMC}}
| use = Active transportation, road biking, walking, dogs on leash
| elev_gain_and_loss =
| elev_change =
| highest =
| lowest =
| grade =
| difficulty = Easy
| season =
| months =
| waymark =
| sights =
| hazards =
| surface =
| ROW = E Line
| maintainer = Metro
| certification =
| website =
| map =
| map_name =
| map_caption =
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| route =
| route_state =
}}
The Expo Bike Path is a {{convert|12|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}{{refn|group=note|name=first}} rail with trail bicycle path and pedestrian route in Los Angeles County, California that travels roughly parallel to the Los Angeles Metro Rail's E Line between {{LAMs|La Cienega/Jefferson}} and {{LAMs|17th Street/SMC}} stations.{{Cite web |last=Chandler |first=Jenna |date=2016-06-07 |title=Ride your bike to Santa Monica on a new paved bike path |url=https://la.curbed.com/2016/6/7/11878268/theres-a-new-metro-expo-line-bike-path-to-santa-monica-culver-city |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Curbed LA |language=en |archive-date=2022-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622131810/https://la.curbed.com/2016/6/7/11878268/theres-a-new-metro-expo-line-bike-path-to-santa-monica-culver-city |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Hawthorne |first=Christopher |date=2017-05-21 |title=Toward wholeness; The Expo Line uses space once occupied by streetcars. Its run from downtown to the ocean helps put L.A. back on track. |pages=E1 |work=Los Angeles Times}} The Expo Bike Path is one of two major bicycle routes in Los Angeles that share dedicated rights-of-way with public transport, the other being the G Line Bikeway in the San Fernando Valley.{{Cite web |title=Los Angeles Metro Bikeways Map |url=https://media.metro.net/dcr/bikemap/metro_bikemap.html |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=metro.net |archive-date=2020-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928223324/https://media.metro.net/dcr/bikemap/metro_bikemap.html |url-status=live }}
The Santa Monica Air Line used the right-of-way from 1909 to 1953. The track was last used for freight in 1988; the county transportation agency bought the route from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in 1991.
Rails-to-trails advocacy groups quickly began agitating for a bike route along the Exposition corridor, with one 1992 Los Angeles Times article prophetically headlined: “A Better Path: There Are 12.2 Miles of Abandoned Rail Beds That Could Be Turned Into a Trail for Bikers, Joggers and Walkers From USC to Santa Monica, but There Is Resistance.”{{Cite news |last=Cart |first=Julie |date=1992-10-07 |title=A Better Path There Are 12.2 Miles of Abandoned Rail Beds That Could Be Turned Into a Trail for Bikers, Joggers and Walkers From USC to Santa Monica, but There Is Resistance |pages=A1 |work=Los Angeles Times}}
Twenty years later, in 2012, the first section of the Expo Bike Path opened to the public.
The Expo Bike Path connects to the Ballona Creek Bike Path (and Park to Playa Trail) at National Boulevard in Culver City. The connection between the two paths is at the Bike Path Bridge over Ballona Creek; the bridge originally carried the southbound lanes of National until the construction of the E Line overpass and a new four-lane National Boulevard bridge.{{Cite web |title=Ballona Creek construction |url=http://www.friends4expo.org/ballona.htm |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=www.friends4expo.org |archive-date=2022-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719040946/http://www.friends4expo.org/ballona.htm |url-status=live }} Between the new and old road bridges, a historic Pacific Electric rail bridge remains intact but fenced off and unused.
Route
File:Expo Line Bikeway central segment.jpg
- Eastern trailhead coordinates: {{coordinates|34.02627|-118.37210|title=Expo Bike Path eastern terminus}}
- Western trailhead coordinates: {{coordinates|34.0236|-118.4795|title=Expo Bike Path western terminus}}
=Eastern segment (aka Phase I)=
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|La Cienega/Jefferson}}
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|Culver City}}, specifically Platform Park at Washington and National under the track
- Distance: {{convert|5.6|mi|km}}{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=Hayley |date=2012-04-27 |title=Nearly Six Miles of Bike Lanes Add Connectivity to New Expo Line |url=https://thesource.metro.net/2012/04/27/nearly-six-miles-of-bike-lanes-add-connectivity-to-new-expo-line/ |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=The Source |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024082610/https://thesource.metro.net/2012/04/27/nearly-six-miles-of-bike-lanes-add-connectivity-to-new-expo-line/ |url-status=live }}
- Route: This section is largely a Class III bike route (bicycles share a main road with a car traffic), but there is short separated bike path segment between La Cienega/Jefferson station and the western terminus. There is a dogleg turn on Harcourt Avenue between the {{convert|3.4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} stretch on Jefferson Boulevard. and the {{convert|1.2|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} section on La Cienega Boulevard.{{Cite web |date=2011-12-08 |title=A Ride on the Mostly Repaved Expo Bike Lanes |website=LADOT Bike Blog |language=en |url=https://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/a-ride-on-the-mostly-repaved-expo-bike-lanes/ |access-date=2022-06-15 |archive-date=2021-06-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625024242/https://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/a-ride-on-the-mostly-repaved-expo-bike-lanes/ |url-status=live }} There is an eastbound crossing of the train tracks at South Gramercy Place. Just before the western end of the Phase I/eastern segment of the Expo Bike Path, there is access to the Ballona Creek Bike Path which continues six miles west to the ocean, connecting to the Marvin Braude Bike Trail.
=Central segment=
=Western segment (aka Phase II)=
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|Westwood/Rancho Park}}, corner of Selby Avenue and Exposition Blvd.
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|17th Street/SMC}}
- Distance: {{convert|3.5|mi|km}}{{Cite web |title=Exposition Bike Path (Phase 2) |url=https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/Exposition-Bike-Path-Phase2 |access-date=2022-07-08 |website=Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Livable Streets |archive-date=2022-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709004237/https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/Exposition-Bike-Path-Phase2 |url-status=live }}
- Notes: Separated from traffic except at crossings “There are good bikeway connections in the area, but people unfamiliar with the vicinity would be well served by [signage] to the beach, the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo), Santa Monica College, and other destinations.”{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Damien |date=2016-06-07 |title=Review: The Expo Phase II Bike Path Is Going to Be Great… |url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2016/06/07/review-the-expo-phase-ii-bike-path-is-going-to-be-great/ |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=Streetsblog Los Angeles |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813055046/https://la.streetsblog.org/2016/06/07/review-the-expo-phase-ii-bike-path-is-going-to-be-great/ |url-status=live }}
Gaps
There are two intervals lacking either clear on-street navigation or a separated route.
=Culver Junction gap=
- Trailhead: National Boulevard and Wesley Avenue{{Cite web |date=2021-06-14 |title=Eyes on the Street: Culver City Expo Bike Path Gap |website=Streetsblog Los Angeles |language=en-US |url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2021/06/14/eyes-on-the-street-culver-city-expo-bike-path-gap/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |archive-date=2022-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609233255/https://la.streetsblog.org/2021/06/14/eyes-on-the-street-culver-city-expo-bike-path-gap/ |url-status=live }}
- Trailhead: Behind Venice Crossroads shopping center{{Cite web |title=Metro Bike Map 2019 1.0.3 |url=https://media.metro.net/dcr/bikemap/metro_bikemap.html |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=media.metro.net |archive-date=2020-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928223324/https://media.metro.net/dcr/bikemap/metro_bikemap.html |url-status=live }}
- Distance: {{convert|0.5|mi|km}}
=Northvale gap=
Sources:{{Cite web |title=LA Paves the Way to Closing Gap in 14-Mile Bicycle Network From Santa Monica to Exposition Park |publisher=KNBC-TV Los Angeles |language=en-US |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/expo-line-bikeway-gap-santa-monica-exposition-park-usc-biking-bike-paths/2769566/ |date=2021-11-30 |access-date=2022-06-09 |archive-date=2022-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609234525/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/expo-line-bikeway-gap-santa-monica-exposition-park-usc-biking-bike-paths/2769566/ |url-status=live }}
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|Palms}}
- Trailhead: {{LACMTA icon|E}}{{LAMs|Westwood/Rancho Park}}
- Route: Northvale Avenue and Overland Avenue or National Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard, passing under Interstate 10
- Distance: {{convert|1.6|mi|km}}
- Notes: A plan to close the gap and connect the central and western segments is approved and funded; completion is expected by 2025.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-21 |title=Koretz, LADOT Present Plans To Close Expo Bike Path Northvale Gap |url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2021/05/21/koretz-ladot-present-plans-to-close-expo-bike-path-northvale-gap/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Streetsblog Los Angeles |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618041117/https://la.streetsblog.org/2021/05/21/koretz-ladot-present-plans-to-close-expo-bike-path-northvale-gap/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Exposition Bike Path (Northvale Segment) |url=https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/Exposition-Bike-Path-Northvale-Segment |access-date=2022-07-08 |website=Los Angeles Department of Transportation Livable Streets |archive-date=2021-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731000235/https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/Exposition-Bike-Path-Northvale-Segment |url-status=live }}
Access
Dedicated parking lots for “park and ride” commuters are available at {{LAMs|17th Street/SMC}}, {{LAMs|Expo/Bundy}}, {{LAMs|Expo/Sepulveda}}, {{LAMs|Culver City}}, and {{LAMs|La Cienega/Jefferson}} stations.{{Cite web |title=E Line Expo - Metro Parking Lots by Line |url=https://www.metro.net/riding/parking/lotsbyline/ |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=LA Metro |language=en-US |archive-date=2020-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810121559/https://www.metro.net/riding/parking/lotsbyline/ |url-status=live }}
Points of interest
The origin point of the western segment includes the Westwood Neighborhood Greenway, a linear park completed 2020, that “daylights” the Brown Canyon Creek that had been funneled underground since 1958.{{Cite web |title=Westwood Neighborhood Greenway |url=https://www.lacitysan.org/san/faces/home/portal/s-lsh-wwd/s-lsh-wwd-wp/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po-p/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po-p-wng?_afrLoop=7420644870294072&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null&_adf.ctrl-state=12clxel729_1#!@@?_afrWindowId=null&_afrLoop=7420644870294072&_afrWindowMode=0&_adf.ctrl-state=12clxel729_5 |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=City of Los Angeles Dept. of Environment and Sanitation |language=en |archive-date=2022-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914200045/https://www.lacitysan.org/san/faces/home/portal/s-lsh-wwd/s-lsh-wwd-wp/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po-p/s-lsh-wwd-wp-po-p-wng?_adf.ctrl-state=rm09vab6q_1&_afrLoop=14843948154631297&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null#!@@?_afrWindowId=null&_afrLoop=7420644870294072&_afrWindowMode=0&_adf.ctrl-state=12clxel729_5 |url-status=live }} The Greenway was built on a railroad right-of-way that was not otherwise occupied by the train tracks or bike route.{{Cite web |last=jonlaweiss |title=History |url=https://westwoodgreenway.org/history/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Westwood Greenway |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212202459/https://westwoodgreenway.org/history/ |url-status=live }}
There is a bicycle repair shop and a secured bike garage located within the Culver City station at about the halfway point along the route.{{Cite web |last=Sotero |first=Dave |date=2019-03-01 |title=Culver City Bike Hub is now officially open! |website=The Source |language=en-US |url=https://thesource.metro.net/2019/03/01/culver-city-bike-hub-is-now-officially-open/ |access-date=2022-06-16 |archive-date=2021-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919060632/https://thesource.metro.net/2019/03/01/culver-city-bike-hub-is-now-officially-open/ |url-status=live }}
See also
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://media.metro.net/dcr/bikemap/metro_bikemap.html Los Angeles Bikeway Map (Metro.net) - HTML]
- [https://www.dropbox.com/s/8lhqlsq1hilvj8l/202004-bike-map.pdf?dl=0 Los Angeles Bikeway Map (Metro.net) - PDF hosted on Dropbox]
- [https://www.healthebay.org/sites/default/files/expo-line-scavenger-hunt.pdf Heal the Bay: City to the Sea/Expo Line scavenger hunt/points of interest (PDF)]
- [https://westwoodgreenway.org/ Westwood Neighborhood Greenway]
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bnKDv_5q4Rc YouTube video of the route from Santa Monica to Culver City, via helmet cam (2016)]
- [https://wilshirevermont.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/exposition-phase-1-bike-facility-a-review/ Helpful transportation engineer critique of Phase 1 design]
{{Commons category|Expo Line Bikeway}}
{{Los Angeles bike paths}}
{{Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority}}
Category:Bike paths in Los Angeles
Category:Rail trails in California
Category:Parks in Los Angeles County, California
Category:Transportation in Culver City, California