Riverwalk connector is unsafe

How tragic that it takes the recent hit-and-run accident involving cyclist Damian Kevitt to bring to light the poorly planned “connection” between Phase One of the Glendale Narrows Riverwalk and the existing Los Angeles River bike path.

This river/freeway overpass where Riverside Drive and Zoo Drive intersect was an accident waiting to happen, as Kevitt’s tragic incident shows.

The recently opened Narrows Riverwalk is a welcome addition for cyclists along the north side of the Los Angeles River, but with just a half mile of trail on this side of the river, the river’s overpass on Riverside Drive beckons cyclists to connect to the more extensive Los Angeles River bike path.

This was the trip my 10-year-old son and I took a couple of weeks ago, just days before Kevitt was struck by a van and dragged 600 feet in the very same area.

As we carefully navigated the overpass while cars whizzed past to enter the freeway, I thought about how this area is a potential death trap to anyone on foot or on a bicycle.

City traffic planners (for Los Angeles and/or Glendale) should either ensure that this area is made safe for pedestrians and cyclists, or this overpass should be closed off to foot and bike traffic.

We don’t need more families to go through the pain that Kevitt and his family are dealing with right now.

All accidents can’t be prevented. However, city leaders and government agencies should work to minimize accident risk, not increase that risk as they have done in this instance.

Chris Davis
Glendale