Draft Environmental Impact Report released for the LA River Path Project; join us in January for public hearings

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is now available for the LA River Path project – access the full report here. 

The LA River Path would provide a continuous, dedicated space for walking and biking along the LA River through Elysian Valley, Cypress Park, Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Downtown Los Angeles, the Arts District, Boyle Heights, Vernon and Maywood – many of these communities lack access to safe and convenient walking and cycling opportunities. 

In addition, the project would close the eight-mile gap in the current walking/bike path between Elysian Valley and Maywood and would result in a continuous 32-mile path between the San Fernando Valley and Long Beach. That would also provide for safer routes for non-drivers of all ages and improve access to jobs, schools, healthcare, parks and provide investments in equity-focused communities.

The purpose of the Draft EIR is to analyze seven alternatives for the project and the potential impacts of each on the environment. The Draft EIR addresses topics from air quality, cultural resources to transportation and utilities, among others. Five of the seven alternatives close the eight-mile gap, while two are shorter versions which partially close the gap. Here is a description of each alternative: 

The Proposed Project Includes seven river crossings and nine new access points: four on the west bank and five on the east bank of the river.

• Direct connections to Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights, Arts District and Vernon

Option 1: Includes six river crossings and eleven new access points: six on the west bank and five on the east bank of the river.

• Direct connections to Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Arts District and Vernon
  

Option 2: Includes seven river crossings and nine new access points: four on the west bank and five on the east bank of the river.

• Direct connections to Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights, the Arts District and Vernon

Mostly-East Bank Alternative: Includes five river crossings and nine new access points: three on the west bank and six on the east bank of the river.

• Direct connections to Chinatown, Boyle Heights, and Vernon

Mostly-West Bank Alternative: Includes six river crossings and 10 new access points: six on the west bank and four on the east bank of the river.

• Direct connections to Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Arts District and Vernon

Shortened Northern Path Alternative: A shortened version of Proposed Project between Riverside Drive and Sixth Street, with four river crossings and five new access points: two on the west bank and three on the east bank of the river, covering approximately 3.2 miles.

• Direct connections to Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and the Arts District

Shortened Southern Path Alternative: A shortened version of the Proposed Project between First Street and Atlantic Boulevard with four river crossings and six new access points: three on the west bank and three on the east bank of the river, covering approximately 5 miles.

• Direct connections to Boyle Heights, Arts District, and Vernon

All seven path alternatives move back and forth across the LA River to best use existing space and provide places to get on and off the path at access points to communities. Each alternative uses a combination of the path being built at the top of the river bank, path being on an elevated structure and a path built into the side of the channel (called an incised path).

To help the public navigate the Draft EIR, Metro has prepared an interactive web platform to view the document and has published FAQs, which you can view on the project website. If you have specific questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, email Metro at lariverpath@metro.net.

Funding for the project was included in the 2016 Measure M sales tax measure approved by L.A. County voters. 6. Currently, the anticipated cost of the five alternatives that close the full eight-mile gap ranges from about $1 billion to $1.2 billion, while the shortened alternatives range from $595 million to $690 million. Approximately $433 million is available for construction; Metro will seek additional funding opportunities and explore potential cost mitigation strategies, including phasing the project, value engineering, and seeking economies of scale and streamlined delivery strategies with partnering agencies.

You can also join one of the four public hearings to learn more about the project and provide you input during the 47-day public review and comment period from December 18, 2025, through February 2, 2026, in one of the following ways:

Orally or in writing at the public hearings on:

• Wednesday, January 21, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Lincoln Heights Senior Center, 2323 Workman St, Los Angeles, CA 90031
• Tuesday, January 27, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, 5800 King Ave, Maywood, CA 90270
• Thursday, January 29, , 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Virtual via Zoom. Link: https://bit.ly/larp_deir. Dial-in: 833 548 0276, Webinar ID: 833 2236 2142
• Saturday, January 31, 2026, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez Senior High School, 1200 Plaza Del Sol E, Los Angeles, CA 90033

All Metro meetings are accessible to persons with disabilities. Spanish translation provided. Other ADA accommodations and translations available by calling 323.466.3876 at least 72 hours in advance.

To provide comments on the project, visit the project website at metro.net/lariverpath and provide comments through the web-based, user-friendly platform through the project website. You can also provide comments via the methods below.

• Email us at lariverpath@metro.net. Please include “LA River Path – Draft EIR” in the subject line.   
• You can also provide comments by mail or voicemail by sending to Metro, One Gateway Plaza, MS 99-22-3, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or calling 213.922.4004. 

All comments received during the public review and comment period will be responded to in the Final EIR. Remember, all public comments must be submitted by February 2, 2026.   

Read the Draft EIR at metro.net/lariverpath. Printed copies are also available for public viewing at the following locations during regular business hours:

• Cypress Park Branch Library, 1150 Cypress Av, Los Angeles, CA 90065
• Lincoln Heights Branch Library, 2530 Workman St, Los Angeles, CA 90031
• Chinatown Branch Library, 639 N Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90012  
• Little Tokyo Branch Library, 203 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
• Boyle Heights Recreation Center, 933 S Mott St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
• Vernon City Hall, 4305 S Santa Fe Av, Vernon, CA 90058
• Maywood City Hall, 4319 E Slauson Av, Maywood, CA 90270
• Metro Headquarters, Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library (One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 by appointment only. Please email library@metro.net to schedule an appointment.