The 90 Freeway, also known as the Marina Expressway, could soon become one of the largest parks in Los Angeles County. With plans from Streets For All and landscape architect and urban design firm SWA, the Freeway right-of-way could provide needed park space, affordable housing and more.
According to the project’s website, the freeway is currently underused and divides the community of Del Rey in addition to disrupting the natural wetland environment. The park project, which would be known as Marina Central Park, would reconfigure the space to include 4,000 units of affordable housing, new retail space, a large county park, bike trails, dedicated bus lanes for a future Bus Rapid Transit line between Lincoln and Sepulveda Boulevards and car lanes.
“Marina Central Park is a massive opportunity for LA, currently one of the most park poor, and housing poor counties in California. It would reconnect a currently divided street grid with new access to Centinela Creek, a new linear path and green space, the existing Ballona Creek trail, and the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve,” the project’s website states.
While the expressway was originally planned as a 50-mile route along Slauson to East Anaheim (CA-91), only 3.1 miles of the highway were ever developed, according to the website. This was largely due to opposition from those living nearby.
While the proposed project remains in its early stages, specific plans for what the development will look like are being decided. However, the approach for housing would likely include four stories of housing over one story of retail with all housing units to be made affordable.
The organizations behind the proposal are currently applying for funding for a feasibility study, which would be the first step in the development process. The larger project, however, would likely take about a decade to be fully completed.
Streets for All is a Los Angeles-based organization with a goal of improving the pedestrian experience of those in the city. The group was founded in 2019 and aims to provide more dedicated bike lanes, bus lanes, park infrastructure and more throughout Los Angeles.
