Happy Trails

Susan McCormack

COSTA MESA -- If Caltrans gives its approval, the city soon will receive

a $500,000 boost to create a multiuse bicycle and pedestrian trail

through Fairview Park as part of a $7.3-million grant to improve

transportation projects in the county.

Transportation authority spokesman Dave Simpson said it is very unlikely

Caltrans will reject the project.

Parks superintendent David Alkema said the money will be used to close a

gap in the regional trail system. Once it is complete, Alkema said

residents will be able to enter the park through currently existing

trails and then use the trail to reach other destinations.

“Multipurpose trails are considered commuter trails because they can be

used to commute through the park to the beach or inland areas of Orange

County,” Alkema explained. “This is a very important linkage when it come

to transportation for the city.”

The funding will come from the federal Transportation Enhancement

Activities program, which the Orange County Transportation Authority

administers. According to the Caltrans Web site, the awarded projects did

more than serve basic safety needs; they enhanced other transportation

facilities.

“The purpose of the project must be for transportation, but if a

recreation experience is gained as a result of the transportation

facility, this does not exclude the activity from consideration under

this program,” the site said.

Officials said the authority received 73 applications seeking the money

and narrowed it down to 16, including Fairview Park. The authority

requires that the cities receiving the money match it by 25%. Allocations

ranged from $100,000 for a bikeway gap closure in San Juan Capistrano to

$1.1. million for county historic preservation projects.

Alkema said plans for the park’s new trail are part of a $9-million

project to renovate the park, according to a master plan the City Council

approved about two years ago. On the west side, the park will be a

“native habitat preservation” park also containing a picnic area and new

parking lot. On the east side, it is planned for the park to have a

botanical garden, dog park, pond for model yacht sailing and a village of

historical homes, Alkema said.