Park District Receives $1.4 Million California Natural Resources Agency Grant for Bay Trail Gap Closure Project in Martinez
The East Bay Regional Park District has been selected to receive $1.4 million from the California Natural Resources Agency’s Urban Greening Grant Program for its Bay Trail Gap Closure Project in Martinez, which would close a half-mile gap in the Bay Trail between Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline and Radke Martinez Shoreline near the Martinez Intermodal Station. The San Francisco 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.”
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.
“We thank the California Natural Resources Agency for providing funding to close this critical gap in 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, and serve as an increasingly important part of the Bay Area’s green transportation network.”
In February 2023, the Park District was also selected to receive $1.8 million in grants for the Bay Trail Gap Closure Project from California State Parks and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Discretionary Grant Program via the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA).
Project benefits include:
- Improve mobility and accessibility for pedestrian and bicyclist trips along the Bay Trail – improving connections and commute options for people who rely on regional rail and bus service at the Martinez Intermodal Amtrak Station.
- Improve safety, convenience, and time savings for those who walk and bicycle in Martinez and Crockett by creating an alternative to existing on-street routes with demonstrated collision histories.
- Safety improvements for an at-grade railroad crossing.
- Encourage more trips by active transportation modes and foster a healthier community.
- Contribute to a healthier environment by reducing motorized vehicular travel.
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 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
