If you have driven down Overland Ave. as it crosses over La Ballona Creek, you have probably noticed the new decorative entry gate, fencing and meandering walkway adjacent to the library building, leading down to the La Ballona bikepath. What you may not know is that this was part of a larger project of improvements to the stretch of bike path from Overland Ave. to the Pedestrian Bridge -- and that it was paid for with federal and state money. 

To celebrate the completion of the project, the City of Culver City will host a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, June 25 at 10:00 AM at the bike path entrance gate near Overland Avenue.  Immediately after the ceremony, Ballona Creek Renaissance and Culver City Bicycle Coalition will lead a family ride along the Creek.

As part of the project, they removed the concrete embankment along the upslope side of the bike path (between the bike path and the school properties) and replaced it with a new decorative retaining wall. They landscaped the area with drought-tolerant and native plants and installed an irrigation system.

Perhaps best of all for anyone who has been concerned about safety while riding on the bike path, they installed emergency call-boxes, security cameras, and new lighting.

Surely, this stretch sets a new standard for how the entire bike path should be -- and hopefully someday will be.

The funding source for this project was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and theCalifornia Environmental Enhancement Mitigation Program.

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