I am curious, with the discussions going on about a new bridge… why is there no comments or discussions tied to the bridge we already have in the Palisades in Castellammare?
There must be some analytics on what that bridge brings. It serves people in the area to the beach north of Gladstones. In the daily reports I get from police, I do not read about issues there.
I do read about car break-ins on nearly a daily basis at Los Liones Park that have occurred for year. When there is no improvement with analytic proof, such as Los Liones, there is a problem.
But I don’t read about any problems at the bridge.
It seems to me this proposed Potrero Pedestrian bridge will provide people of all ages from the Palisades to access the beach in a safe manner rather than down Chautauqua with NO sidewalk around the curve. Yes, it will require patrol but it requires patrol now.
Just some thoughts.
A resident.
It’s entitled NIMBY’s who believe they own Potrero Canyon because they live near it.
It’s understandable to be leery of a bridge or walkway that starts at a public beach or beach parking lot and crosses PCH directly into a public park with access to your residential area. The Castellammare Bridge has been used by all types of people. Weekly, tourists use it to access the historic steps of Castellammare. Daily, the community uses it to access the beach for early morning exercise and walks with their pets. Periodically, people experiencing homelessness sometimes hunker down on the interior steps to sleep in the protection of the alcove there. And rarely, the opportunist looking for an unlocked door or open window also travels over to the neighborhood. Because the bridge carries all types of people back and forth, the community of Castellammare created and supports a non-profit, all-volunteer resident security committee which uses donations to purchase and maintain a wide angle camera and a facial recognition camera, both of which are installed on the bridge. These cameras video tape people and pets accessing the bridge and on occasion have been instrumental in identifying victims of homelessness as well as criminals coming into the neighborhood. When residents see someone or something that appears out of place, they contact the person who monitors the cameras. The footage is checked, and if necessary, the footage is passed on to LAPD, and shared with the community through a private notification app.