2022 California Best Projects
Award of Merit – Landscape/Urban Development: Taylor Yard Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge
Photo by Mike Kelley
Taylor Yard Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge
Los Angeles
AWARD OF MERIT
Submitted By: Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA | SPF:architects
Owner: City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering
Lead Design Firm: Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA | SPF:architects
Contractor: Ortiz Enterprises, Inc.
Civil Engineering Firm: Tetra Tech
Structural Engineer: Arup
Landscape Architect: Hood Design Studio
The 400-foot-long Taylor Yard Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge provides a crucial connection between the Los Angeles River communities of Elysian Valley and Cypress Park, via the Taylor Yard G-2 site, a 42-acre industrial parcel and former rail yard.
The design is a modern interpretation of railroad truss bridges that once crossed over many of the waterways in Los Angeles and employs the lightest structural elements possible: tube steel, wide flange steel, and steel rods. These elements were componentized by design so that large portions of the bridge could be assembled in an adjacent yard and construction work within the riverbed could be minimized. This light, hybrid frame allows for open viewing of the river through nearly unobstructed vertical planes.
One of the main challenges faced throughout the project was with the Due to several overlapping jurisdictional agencies land use and design compliance was a key challenge for the project. The project team successfully coordinated the efforts that included the Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Water and Power, Southern California Regional Rail Authority and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
The project enhances the local quality of life, offering residents pedestrian access to the Rio De Los Angeles State Park, while bicyclists can now safely bike to the 24-mile-longLos Angeles River Greenway Trail. The bridge also advances the City’s goal of ensuring at least 65% of Los Angeles residents live within a half-mile of a park or open space by 2025.
