Work on the Arroyo Seco trail project is set to begin in early August and finish by November, according to Cynthia Kurtz, interim executive director of the One Arroyo Foundation.
Hikers and joggers will soon enjoy improved trails in the Arroyo Seco, a cherished open space in Pasadena known for its historical, ecological, and recreational significance.
The restoration project aims to enhance the 3.5 miles of trails in the Lower and Upper Arroyo Seco, making them safer and more accessible for all ages, said officials at One Arroyo Foundation, a nonprofit collaborating with the city to preserve the area.
“I’m really excited about these trails and the fact that we’re able to move forward with them here this summer and in the fall,” said John Onderdonk, the organization’s vice president, on Thursday, May 23. “I think it will just be the beginning of hopefully many collaborative efforts with the city, with the users of the Arroyo, with other stakeholders in the Arroyo to really cherish, protect, and revitalize a place that everybody loves.”
For years, city officials and nature enthusiasts have been working to restore the “over-loved” Arroyo Seco, a natural stream originating in the Angeles National Forest, flowing through concrete channels near the Rose Bowl and historic neighborhoods, before joining the Los Angeles River.
In 2018, the nonprofit One Arroyo Foundation was formed as part of the “One Arroyo” initiative proposed by former Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek. This initiative aims to enhance over 1,000 acres of parkland and create an “end-to-end trail system.”
The foundation completed the specifications for the trails project and presented them to the city, which then opened the project for bidding, said Kurtz. The City Council is expected to award the contract to a bidder on June 10.
If the schedule proceeds as planned, work on the trail project will commence in early August, with a groundbreaking ceremony tentatively set for July 13. The project is expected to be completed by November.
“The Arroyo is really a place of healing and health,” Kurtz said. “It’s soothing and peaceful, a place to go and rest. You don’t realize you’re in the middle of a big metropolitan area; you think you’re out in the wild. Well, you are, but you’re minutes away from Pasadena and other cities. It’s just such a healing place.”
The trail project is a thorough restoration effort. Key focuses will be clearing debris and addressing erosion, exacerbated by the recent unprecedented rainfall. Other tasks include removing dead trees, repairing rock walls, planting native species, and creating natural seating and learning areas.
Teachers often bring their classes to Arroyo Seco to teach about nature. The project will create spaces where students can sit comfortably and engage with their lessons.
“There’s one area that’s kind of flat, along the east side, and we’re just going to clear it out a little bit, not change anything, certainly not take out any vegetation, and put some logs in there, in a circle,” Kurtz said.
In addition to trail improvements, the foundation is also planning a project to enhance linkage. This will include opening pedestrian access to the historic Mayberry Parker Bridge, located under the Colorado Street Bridge.
“So you’ll be able to go from the Casting Pond, up to the Colorado Street Bridge, cross over the Arroyo, catch the trail there and come down the west side,” Kurtz explained, “making it a really nice, probably a little under a mile loop or about a mile loop in the Lower Arroyo.”
The bridge itself is stable for pedestrians but difficult to access. The project will include installing new railings to make it safer for walking. Kurtz hopes to put this project out for bid next spring and complete it by summer.
The recommended contract cost for the trail work is around $900,000, while the bridge project is estimated between $600,000 and $700,000. Funding comes from a combination of public grants and private donations. The foundation received a $1 million grant from the Santa Monica Conservancy, which will entirely fund the trail restoration.
Although the foundation is currently focused on the Lower and Upper Arroyo, future projects in the Central Arroyo are also being considered. The foundation is holding meetings and consulting with city staff to determine potential future projects, Kurtz said.