The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors are concerned with the plans of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to strengthen the Whittier Narrows Dam, saying the project that cuts off access to a major regional bikeway and also a local park where kids play baseball for the next seven years has huge ramifications.
To ensure the Army Corps restores the area’s recreational resources and roadways once the project is completed in 2033, the Board of Supervisors voted to put the L.A. County Public Works in charge of communicating with the feds on restoring open space, parks and roadways disrupted by the dam rebuild.
A motion written by First District Supervisor Hilda Solis and passed by a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath absent, demands the federal agency avoid what could be permanent impacts to bikeways and parks, affecting Pico Rivera, Montebello and Rosemead.
In the next seven years, the project will result in closure of Streamland Park, home of the Pico Boys Baseball League for 70 years; as well as Bicentennial Park and a city golf course. It will also lead to the loss of access to the southern road leading to the city’s iconic Sports Arena, a major venue for concerts, charreadas or Mexican rodeos, and charro camps and classes.
Solis said the closure of parks, a golf course, and most importantly, cutting off access to the San Gabriel River Bike Path that runs from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean must not become permanent. This bike path is used not only for recreation but for alternative transportation for many who don’t have access to an automobile.
The supervisor’s motion also mentions the project may prevent expansion of the L.A. County Class One Regional Bikeway Network.
“It is imperative that any enhancements minimize detrimental impacts on the surrounding communities, recreational and green spaces, and transportation facilities that local residents rely on,” the motion stated. It also warned the USACE to replace these amenities, or the project would aggravate “historical inequities” sustained by the high concentration of “working-class and environmental justice communities surrounding Whittier Narrows.”
“We want to make sure our federal partners complete this work responsibly,” Solis said before the vote. As for impacts to bikeways, parks and roadways, she added: “We insist they be mitigated to the full extent possible.”
Solis will be leaving the Board of Supervisors in December and is a strong candidate to fill the seat in the Congressional 38th District in November. This project may become an issue she will watch as a member of Congress.
The Whittier Narrows Dam Safety Project was greenlit in 2016, when the Army Corps classified repairs to the 69-year-old dam as “urgent, and very high-risk” of failure.
The dam, which sits in a natural gap in the hills, was built to hold back catastrophic flooding on the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo rivers — which was not uncommon before a system of dams were built in the 1940s and 1950s. The 2016 re-inspection revealed a greater threat of erosion and breach which could cause massive downstream flooding to 1.25 million Southern California residents in the event of a severe storm event.
While the board approves of the $735 million project, they and local cities are concerned about noise, dust, and workers taking over parks and bikeways during construction that begins in October, and whether those amenities in place for decades will be restored upon completion.
“Pico Rivera residents have a strong connection to the Whittier Narrows Dam, whether for recreation, transportation or access to open space,” said Pico Rivera Mayor Gustavo V. Camacho. “As this federal infrastructure project advances, ongoing communication, multilingual outreach and thoughtful mitigation measures will be essential to helping residents stay informed and connected to the resources they rely on.”
In addition, the county Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch, along with Public Works and Parks and Recreation, will send a letter signed by the five supervisors to the Army Corps. A copy also will be sent to L.A. County’s congressional delegation, outlining concerns about project impacts and requesting enhanced coordination and community outreach.
L.A. County departments must report back to the Board of Supervisors within 60 days on coordination efforts with the Army Corps.
SCNG Staff Writer Anissa Rivera contributed to this article.