Bradley Plaza and Green Alley Project

Bradley Plaza and Green Alley has transformed a crumbling, neglected alley into a vibrant community space for the children and families of Pacoima; the project will serve nearly 8,500 people who live within a ten-minute walk.

Building on community organizing and development work spearheaded by Pacoima Beautiful— a grass roots environmental justice organization — in partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation the terminal section of Bradley Avenue between Van Nuys Boulevard and Bradley Alley was shut down in 2015. This project enhances previous plaza improvements, making them permanent, and extends improvements throughout the alley.

The alley is the first planned shared street in the City of Los Angeles, designed to slow traffic, create a safe place for residents to relax, meet up with neighbors, and walk and bike. Strategically placed lined planters are used to reduce vehicle speeds, the planters serve double duty as part of the stormwater capture and infiltration system in the alley. When it rains, water in the alley flows in to the planters and infiltrates down through soil and gravel getting cleaned on the way.

The plaza, previously a small segment of Bradley Avenue that is now closed to vehicle traffic, adds a shade structure, outdoor fitness equipment, a nature classroom, and plenty of custom locally-reclaimed wood seating.

Bradley Plaza and Green Alley is a leverage project of the TCC grant program, which empowers the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. The Trust for Public Land was integral in advocating for the TCC program, and has created other similar green alleys across Los Angeles, with two more green alley networks planned in South Los Angeles.

Additional projects included in the TCC grant award include mobility hubs, street trees, a park renovation, solar retrofits, and other climate interventions in the Pacoima and Sun Valley neighborhoods of Los Angeles. With the dedication of Pacoima Beautiful and the community, The Trust for Public Land and other partners are excited to bring new green infrastructure improvements and transformative changes to the area.

Project benefits:

• Water quality improvement by capturing and treating polluted runoff
• Water supply augmentation by infiltrating runoff within a prime Department of Water and Power spreading ground
• Water conservation by installing drought tolerant, low water using landscaping
• Elimination of local flooding
• Promotion of sustainability and neighborhood connectivity
• Provision of neighborhood amenities informed by an extensive community outreach process
• Enhancement of the existing Bradley Plaza, and integration of the Plaza into the project

The Trust for Public Land would like to thank our partners and generous supporters: Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment, Pacoima Beautiful, City of Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department, Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA), City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, California Natural Resources Agency, Los Angeles Waterkeeper & The Liberty Hill Foundation, The Boeing Company, and Wells Fargo Foundation.