Work is about to begin for a pedestrian bridge across La Cienega Boulevard, the lynchpin of a planned 13-mile hiking trail connecting Baldwin Hills with the Pacific Ocean.

Starting next week, crews will begin undergrounding utilities near the crossing of La Cienega and Wrightcrest Drive to provide clearance for the bridge, which will span between the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.

Traffic delays are anticipated from May 6 through July 31 on the stretch of La Cienega Boulevard between Obama Boulevard and Stocker Street, with lane closures occurring first for southbound traffic, then for northbound traffic starting on June 3.

The bridge itself is scheduled to be installed sometime in 2020.

The overall project, called Park to Playa, builds upon an existing network of hiking trails that begins on Stocker Street to the west of Crenshaw Boulevard.  The paths then meander through the Kenneth Hahn and Baldwin Hills parks, before joining the Marvin Braude Bike Path along the north bank of Ballona Creek.  The trail will terminate at the beach in Playa del Rey.