RRM Design Group, in association with Kimley-Horn Associates, prepared the master plan and construction documents for the 5.8-mile Whittier Greenway – a multiuse Class I multiuse trail that runs through the heart of the city within an old Union Pacific right-of-way. The connectivity potential for schools, residential and commercial areas creates an exemplary alternative transportation pathway in the city. The project included design of both paved and non-paved trails, signs, lighting, staging areas, and rest stops; refurbishment of historic railroad bridges; revitalization of vacant City-owned parcels; and landscape enhancement in a linear park style.

Building on the success of the initial Whittier Greenway project, the City of Whittier selected RRM Design Group to lead the design of the eastern portion of the trail, working with the City, Union Pacific Railroad, Los Angeles County, and the CPUC to develop 7 at-grade crossings and 2.5 miles of Class I multiuse trail along the active rail line. The project crosses Leffingwell and La Mirada Creeks requiring prefabricated bridges and engineered storm drainage systems to improve the water quality of these sensitive resources. A robust community engagement was utilized throughout the design development process to reach consensus for this new facility with special consideration to the adjacent property owners encroaching into the corridor. The at-grade crossing design incorporates a cross bike system in combination with an innovative chicane system to slow and stop cyclists at the signal-controlled crossings, and the CPUC has now accepted this crossing system as the prototypical rail trail crossing for Southern California.

Award-Winning

B.E.S.T. Award in Traffic, Mobility & Beautification
APWA Southern California Chapter, 2023

Award of Excellence, Park Planning & Design, Community Park/Open Space
CPRS, 2010

Award of Merit
California Trails and Greenways Conference, 2010

Helen Putnam Award for Excellence
League of California Cities, 2010

Merit Award, Quality of Life
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), California Southern Chapter, 2010