The city of Carson is making considerable strides in becoming one of the southland’s most “green” and pedestrian-friendly towns. Officials secured recently $1.25 million in funding to develop a bicycle/pedestrian path along the Dominguez Channel between Main Street and Avalon Boulevard. The new lanes will be designed to connect with an existing path on the west side of Main Street which, in turn, will connect with the Harbor Gateway Transit Center.
The bike path is part of Carson’s Masterplan of Bikeways, a portion of which is expected to proceed into Cal State Dominguez Hills which may ease traffic woes in the normally congested area off Avalon Boulevard and Victoria Street. Carson has already received $3 million for bicycle lanes; this new pathway will be exclusive to bicycles and pedestrians.
Carson Mayor Jim Dear said the bicycle/pedestrian path will “provide a key transportation connection for residents, employees and visitors between Harbor Gateway Transit Center and Carson’s many attractions along Avalon Boulevard including the Community Center, South Bay Pavilion and the upcoming Boulevards at South Bay.”
It is anticipated that the new connection to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center will aid both Carson and Metro in promoting the use of public transit, contribute to regional efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.
“The new bike path is a critical component to the city’s ongoing efforts to improve the health of the people as well as visitors to Carson, by making us a walkable, bikeable, livable community,” Dear added.
Two years ago, Carson was awarded a CalTrans Community-based Transportation Planning Grant to create the city’s first Master Plan of Bikeways in 35 years.
