Park District Set to Receive $1.8 Million in Grants for Bay Trail Gap Closure Project
The East Bay Regional Park District has been notified that it will receive a total of $1.8 million in grants toward its planned San Francisco Bay Trail Gap Closure Project in Martinez. The Bay Trail Gap Closure Project would close a half-mile gap in the Bay Trail between Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline and Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline near the Martinez Intermodal Station. The SF Bay Trail is a planned 500-mile walking and cycling path around the entire San Francisco Bay.
“The half-mile trail segment will close a critical gap in San Francisco Bay Trail and help create an active transportation system that works for everyone,” said Park District Board President Dennis Waespi. “The Bay Trail and other East Bay Regional Trails provide residents with healthy and safe commuting and recreational options and have become an increasingly important part of the Bay Area’s green transportation network.”
The Park District is set to receive a $917,784 grant from California State Parks that recommended the project for funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program.
The Park District is also slated to receive a $925,000 grant for the Martinez Bay Trail project from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). CCTA, in partnership with the District, applied for funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Discretionary Grant Program.
“We thank our federal partners, California State Parks, and Contra Costa Transportation Authority for their leadership and support in obtaining this critical funding for this section of the San Francisco Bay Trail,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “The Bay Trail Gap Closure Project in Martinez will provide more equitable access to open space along our shoreline parks.”
The Bay Trail Gap Closure Project will provide residents with important environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives and help advance the Park District’s mission of providing access to open space, parks, and trails and safe and healthy recreational opportunities for the community. Total project costs are estimated to be $3.7 million. The Park District is working with its federal, state, and regional partners to secure additional funding for the project.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
