filed under: economics of trails


Compton Creek Trails Community Assessment

In 2009, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) began a multi-year project to ensure that residents along the Compton Creek bike, equestrian and walking trails were involved in using and supporting their trails, as well as to provide opportunities for programs and activities.

by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)


UPI Assessment Compton 3 1 11


The Compton Creek bike path and multi-use trail (hereafter, “Trail” where referenced together) passes through the urban residential neighborhoods along the northern stretch of channelized Compton Creek for 2.85 miles, with the bike path following the east side and the multi-use trail on the west side of the channel. A separate 1.82-mile section of bike path runs through the industrial area south of the Artesia Freeway to Del Amo in unincorporated Los Angeles County. While these trail segments are already in place, there are opportunities to extend and connect the segments to each other as well as other regional pathways along the Los Angeles River. The trail system has additional potential for improvements in connections and awareness with the surrounding neighborhoods.

The recent Compton Creek Regional Garden Park Master Plan effectively lays out a vision and design for transformation of the corridor into a greenway with adjacent pocket parks and recreational amenities, as well as improved connections to the surrounding neighborhoods. The Garden Park Master Plan provides great detail regarding implementation tasks for infrastructure and programming. This Report provides an assessment of the current status of the Trail and the connections into the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as the important health linkages the Trail can provide to adjacent neighborhoods. The focus is on the northern segment of the trail that lies within the city of Compton.

Published March 2011

About the Author


Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. RTC’s mission, and its value, is magnified in urban areas, where one mile of trail can completely redefine the livability of a community. Where trails are more than just recreational amenities, creating opportunities for active transportation and physical activity—improving our health and wellbeing—as they safely connect us to jobs, schools, businesses, parks, and cultural institutions in our own neighborhoods and beyond.

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