Better bike paths, safer sidewalks, more green space coming to El Sereno — starting with Eastern Ave. makeover this fall

Starting this fall, a major thoroughfare of the Eastside community of El Sereno will get a makeover to bring better bike paths, safer sidewalks, more trees, and ways to reduce traffic speed on Eastern Ave. The project is one of three road improvement schemes in the works that could transform the face of this 4.1 sq mile neighborhood at the border of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

All of that is thanks to the defunct 710 freeway extension project, which left hundreds of millions in unused funding.

"Most of the money is for the El Sereno area because that was where obviously the freeway was going to be," said Nate Hayward, Deputy Chief of Staff for Councilmember Kevin de Leon who represents Council District 14 that encompasses the neighborhood. "So the thought was, let's re-invest in infrastructure improvements for biking, walking, transit, etc, on the major corridors in El Sereno."

The plan to overhaul the three arteries — Eastern Ave., along with Huntington Dr., and Valley Blvd. — started several years back. Community meetings on the projects have been held since 2021.

Eastern Ave.

Work on Eastern Ave. will begin as early as this fall, according to Hayward, with construction projected to take 18 months. The 1.5-mile stretch will see a variety of improvements, including new street trees, painted bike lanes, and repaired sidewalks for easier accessibility. One particular concern was pedestrian safety, as two schools sit on the busy street.

"A lot of the community engagement on that project was, 'Okay, how do we slow things down with a school?'" said Hayward.

One solution is to install a dedicated school bus drop-off lane.

"The whole point is, how do you reconfigure all that to maximize it for people walking, biking, and taking transit, right? That's sort of the very essence of it," said Hayward.

The plan is part of a greater effort to connect these upgrades to Valley Blvd. and Huntington Dr., the two corridors that bookend Eastern.

Valley Blvd.

Under the proposed project, a 5-mile stretch of Valley Blvd. between the end of the 710 and Union Station will see improvements, with a peak hour bus lane reserved for bus usage during morning and afternoon rush hours.

"The goal of Valley was how do we connect Cal State L.A., L.A. General County Hospital/USC and Union Station, and then how do we make it so it's easier to get between all those, because you have a lot of people who commute in," said Hayward.

Another highlight of the plan is the expansion of Lincoln Park to create a more unified green space.

"We're shifting the park into the street," said Hayward.

About half the funding for the project has been secured, said Hayward. The district is awaiting word on a state grant for the remainder $60 or so millions.

Huntington Dr.

A new round of community meetings on the Huntington Dr. plan started in June. The project, said Hayward, is at a more initial phase, with a fraction of the projected funding currently secured.

One of main focus of the proposal is to introduce more green space along the route, be it in the median of the wide main drag, or to convert a segment of Huntington Dr. into a pedestrian and bike friendly open area.

"The goal is just walkable, bikeable, transit friendly communities that are good for the communities that live there now," he said.