Metro’s proposed 8-mile LA River Path is one of the most visible pieces of the larger LA River Master Plan, a 25-year proposal to reimagine the river as a 51-mile “public spine” lined with parks, habitat, and cultural spaces.
The LA River Path is a proposed walking and biking route that would close an 8-mile gap through the Elysian Valley and Maywood, connecting the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach.
However, environmental review, engineering challenges, and a major funding gap still stand between today’s fragmented trail and a continuous route.
Metro released its Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the LA River Path in December 2025, held public hearings, and closed the comment period on February 2, 2026.
The Board is expected to select a preferred alternative in a public meeting this fall 2026, after which Metro will prepare the Final EIR and start the next phase of planning. Metro’s project page currently lists 2031 as the projected completion date for the initial phase.
About $365-$433 million of the LA River Path project is partially funded by Measure M, which voters approved in 2016. However, capital cost estimates are now projected at up to $1.2 billion, contingent on the path’s ultimate design, phased implementation, and potential grants.
The key link in LA’s reimagined river
The proposed 8-mile LA River Path would connect existing sections of trail between Elysian Valley and Maywood, resulting in a nearly continuous, 32-mile corridor along the Los Angeles River between the San Fernando Valley and Long Beach.
As such, the LA River Path is a key component of the LA River Master Plan, a roadmap first introduced in 1996 and majorly updated in 2020. The plan envisions a continuous 51-mile connected public space that simultaneously manages flood risk, strengthens local ecosystems, and promotes river access and equity for communities.
Learn more at LA Metro’s LA River Path project page and the LA River Master Plan website.
