Costa Mesa receives $1-million grant for bike trail

Costa Mesa was recently awarded a grant to design and construct a bike trail connecting the city’s Westside to the Santa Ana River, according to a city news release Friday.

The $1-million award came from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program run by the U.S. Department Transportation.

The path, as currently proposed, will go along West 19th Street starting from Placentia Avenue, then west through Talbert Regional Park and end at the river’s pathways.

The bike trail could cost as much as $1.7 million. Remaining funds could come from city coffers or the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Once approved, construction may begin as early as 2016.

“This project will provide a convenient bicycle and pedestrian trail connection to the beach and Pacific Coast Highway from Westside Costa Mesa,” Public Services Director Ernesto Munoz said in a prepared statement. “In addition, the trail will serve as a convenient connection to employment areas in north Costa Mesa via the Santa Ana River trail.”

— Bradley Zint

Twitter: @bradleyzint