A new pedestrian path, bicycle access, and more green recreation spaces are coming to Wilmington.
The Port of Angeles and city leaders broke ground Thursday on the Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway between Harry Bridges Boulevard and the Pacific Harbor Railroad Lines.
Set to be completed by late summer 2028, the $152 million project will feature a new, 380-foot-long pedestrian bridge designed to give locals a safe crossing point over working rail operations. The city said the concrete cable-arched bridge will connect to the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, a public access project that was completed in 2024.
Rendering courtesy of Port of AngelesRendering courtesy of Port of Angeles
The project will also feature:
A connection from the bridge to the Avalon Promenade Gateway, a new open space public recreation area currently being built.
That new rec area will include an entry plaza with a 40-foot-tall sundial, an overlook, an open terrace seating area, pedestrian pathways, community gathering areas, public restrooms, and two parking lots.
Street and utility improvements at Avalon Boulevard and A Street — grading, paving, striping, lighting, and landscaping.
In all, 12 acres of former industrial land will be transformed into this new open space, the Port of Angeles said.
Rendering courtesy of Port of AngelesRendering courtesy of Port of Angeles
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a press release that the project reflects LA’s ongoing work to “revitalize, reimagine, and build connections in communities across the city.”
LA City Councilmember Tim McOsker said the project’s strengthened connection between Avalon Boulevard and the waterfront will also help support local businesses and create “new opportunities for the community to thrive.”
Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Lucille Roybal-Allard and Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said, at the end of the day, the project is all about expanding public access to the waterfront, not just building a bridge.
“It’s about giving the Wilmington community safe and direct waterfront access for the very first time,” Seroka explained.