Can anyone believe this is happening again?

For the second straight year, the LA River Bike Path will be closed in the Elysian Valley until the stated date March 31, 2017.

Once again, this closure was initiated with little, if any warning and is a debilitating shock to those that use the path for their daily commuting needs.

 

 

If you’ve read this far, you’re pretty angry just like me.

You’re throwing up your hands.

You pace around the room to dissipate energy.

But still, you’re level of madness just won’t go down.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I’m just a cyclist.

 

Signs and chains are up all along the path restricting access.

 

What boils your blood the most?

The fact that this was just thrown at us again, that the river will be closed for half a year again, that businesses will have to weather the wrath of another lost season or one of the many other things associated with this closure?

While I have heard a lot connected to this fiasco, I’m going to try to act semi-responsible and not speak until I have all the facts, but I’m sharing what I had a look at.

When I biked up the path Tuesday night, I came at an hour when no one was working on anything, but there was plenty of foliage cut down leaving a lot of debris on the path.

What’s confusing is that at the end, one sign says the path is closed from 7am – 4pm, Monday through Friday, but signs and chains have the path completely closed off as you travel north (see above).

And in case you’re asking, this goes for all people who use the path.

I also saw for the first time a freshly painted wording on the embankment of the river saying “CLOSED FOR SEASON” (which could have sworn my camera took a picture of).

 

Some of the cut down debris.

At some point, the Army Corp of Engineers was going to begin their $1.6 billion restoration of the river and they just reported Tuesday that 3,000 homes could face flooding danger, but still, the timing of this closure and the complete disregard for commuter’s needs is troubling.

One person I would contact is Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.

This is not likely his doing, but this is his district and for the second straight year cyclists are being left in a lurch.

I also hopes Metro chimes in here. Why?

With Measure M coming up on the ballot in November seeking to complete the LA River Bike Path, if closures like this keep occurring, what’s the point?

Once again, we’ve been instantaneously thrown into a compromising position and I caution spitting out your vitriol so that our anger isn’t misdirected.

But this is unacceptable. Please speak up and let it be known.