conceptualizing a missing link to city west
Freeways — the single-most misguided concept in urban planning history — have caused irreparable damage to our city’s pedestrian appeal, and now, just look at the ideas we’re having to come up with to get people interested in walking again!
This morning, Curbed LA presented some utopian design ideas from a team of students at Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture & Urban Studies to revamp the Wilshire Boulevard overpass between the Financial District and City West.
Of course, the concepts illustrated (more after the jump) are all pies in the sky, but the dialog they create for urban connectedness are valuable for all the neighborhoods of Downtown disjointed by the rivers of concrete.
Currently, those living west of the 110 Freeway walking back and forth into the heart of Downtown usually opt for the less arduous 7th Street bridge one block to the south. Those familiar with the Wilshire route (with its narrow sidewalks, low guard rails and steep incline), may liken the trek to rockclimbing — overly exerting and dangerous if you’re not paying attention.
Late last year, Holland Partners (developers of GLO) announced plans to partake in an overhaul of the Wilshire overpass in order to create a “gateway” into the burgeoning residential district they’re helping to establish. With interest now coming as far away as the East Coast, it would seem the City has issued a Request for Proposal to move ahead with the project.
The finished product will most likely be nothing as captivating as the ideas we see here, but a little landscaping and street lights would make all the difference.
-Downtown’s Wilshire Overpass: A Few Ideas (Curbed LA)
Click on each rendering for a full design description.
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8 comments
Thank you Stephen for acknowledging the detriment of pedestrian life for the sake of freeways. The concept for the Wilshire bridge is great and the designs are intriguing. Now if we can only put a park over the 101 from Alameda to Broadway…
These ideas are wondeful, but, in my opinion, the only way we can cure these “arteries” slashing through our neighborhoods is by placing parks over them. The parks will provide a new sense of community, while masking the noise, sight, and pollution porblems of the freeways below. Have air vents be nondescript, and blend them in with the neighborhood around, and this idea works!
I’m with Marc and Alex here. That’s what they are doing in Hollywood on the 101. I’d say creatively cover the 110 to the north and the 60 to the east.
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Perfect idea. And, just out of curiosity: Is the park in Hollywood you mentioned above under construction yet?
I live at 1100 Wilshire. and not only do I have a view of the bridge, but I walk across it all the time. Currently it’s dimly lit, has low railing, and is little creepy to walk across at night. I can’t wait for the finished project.
RE: parks over the 101 through downtown. It’s been an idea for like 20 years. For example:
This from Eric Garcetti,
LAist, etc.
I like the idea of capping the freeway with a park over it, but we got to look at future transportation issues. We might need to put an overhead lane over the freeway to accomodate more cars like they have further past downtown going south on the 110.
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I see your point, but judging by how poorly recieved the one on the 110 was, i don’t think another one of these decks will eevr be built. People, the answer is hundreds of millions, or billions, on rail transit, not to beef up the capacity of our freeways.
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