Happy Trails

Photo credit Erin O’Brien

Last week Irvine was presented a $14.5 million check from Senator Dave Min at the Cypress Community Center in Irvine for completion of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail project. Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan and City Council members accepted the check at a presentation attended by state and city officials as well as members of the Bicycle Club of Irvine.

The Jeffrey Open Space Trail, or JOST, currently stretches three and a half miles through the heart of Irvine. The $14.5 million will support a critical piece of the trail that has yet to be finished: a one and a half mile extension running from Barranca Parkway to the I-5 freeway. The extension will link existing bike and pedestrian trails, including a 15-footwide bridge stretching almost 1,200 feet over the 5 freeway. It will connect the coastline to the Santa Ana Mountains and Cleveland National Forest.

Photo credit traillink.com

“Continuing to enhance our great city’s open space area is something I couldn’t be more proud of accomplishing,” says Mayor Khan. “Our community thrives on being healthy and enjoying our master-planned community, and I’m so grateful for the partnership with Senator Min.”

Work on the JOST extension is expected to begin fall 2022 and be completed in spring 2024. The JOST/I-5 Bridge is expected to begin this coming summer and be completed in the summer of 2024.

See a map of Irvine’s existing hiking and biking trails here.