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Support a longer bridge over Trancas Creek for habitat restoration
trancas us to bridge 1.23.17
The existing bridge condition in January. Built in 1927 and supporting more than 22,000 vehicles a day, the bridge is now rated as “scour critical,” which means sediment is undermining its structure.  Alternative 3 would expand the bridge to the east into the green bank. (Courtesy Rosi Dagit)

 

Dear Fish Friends,

We have an amazing opportunity to have Caltrans repair the existing bridge over Trancas Creek with one that could actually support eventual lagoon restoration, development of a permanent ADA accessible trail from Zuma Beach to connect with upstream NPS trails and the Market complex, provide increased access for southern steelhead trout and habitat for endangered tidewater gobies.

One of the few proven ways to help recover steelhead is to provide them the habitat they need. Restoring Trancas lagoon requires a longer span bridge to be most effective. Here is a chance to make the great habitat upstream in Trancas Creek available for spawning again.

The Alternatives being considered include:

Alternative 1 No project – the existing bridge (84-foot span)  remains until it fails, which given the scour and tilt issues is inevitable.

Alternative 2 Short Bridge (120-foot span) essentially has the same scour and hydrologic problems as the existing bridge, and would require elevating the road bed 2.5 feet above current grade, with ramping along both north and southbound PCH to meet flood control standards, requires retaining walls and would effectively preclude any substantive restoration of the lagoon footprint.

Alternative 3 Long Bridge (240-foot span) provides the opportunity to not only build a bridge that would have a longer life span at the current road elevation, but also provide the opportunity for lagoon restoration and a safe trail connecting the beach upstream under PCH.

To review the documents, check out:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/d7/env-docs/docs/Trancas%20Creek%20Bridge%20Replacement%20Project%20Draft%20ISEA.pdf

Please send your letter by 5 June to: ron.kosinski@dot.ca.gov

Ron Kosinski, Deputy District Director

Caltrans District 7

Division of Environmental Planning

100 S. Main Street MS-16A

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Every letter helps!

Short and sweet will work.

Many thanks,

Rosi

Rosi Dagit is a Senior Conservation Biologist for the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Email

From today’s e-mailbag …

Thanks for all the information you’ve posted about the LA River over the years. I was finally able to make it to the LA River during my recent visit to California. My friend and I started at Marsh Park (near the 2/I-5) and did some exploring with our Tenkara rods. Wrapped up the day at Spokes Café. The LA River surpassed my expectations!

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David Oh says:
June 22, 2015 at 3:05 pm Edit

Hey Jim,
Have been trying my luck near the Sepulveda Basin. No luck but any day outdoors no matter how cold, uncomfortable, or skunky beats a sedentary afternoon on the couch.

From what I can collect, there is life but on the bottom of the river. They weren’t going for any of my dries (I usually use a scud, killer bug as my go to emergency fly and even that didn’t work out too well). I ran across some environmental students that had a kayak hooked up with sonar and they let me there are schools of fish down in the river. (I was near the bridge where the river and Balboa meet). The biggest problem however is where the Glendale Narrows have plenty of spots that you can fit to get to the river, The Sepulveda Basin was very hard to find elbow room of any sorts (I have not walked the complete length but a few good miles)

Balboa lake is an awful mess on the weekend (as expected)
Could be good for micro fishing though.

I did find a section where the lake empties out into the river, and for what I can surmise as about 200 yards is a very nice looking stream. Were it not in Los Angeles, where it is, I would almost guarantee amazing fishing in these spots. You just have to ignore empty modelo 20 pack boxes sometimes though.

Let me do some more exploring and maybe I can let you in on a more educated review.