Major missing piece of Bob Jones Trail could be completed with $18 million in new funding
The Bob Jones Trail is in line to get $18.25 million in state funding to complete a critical section connecting the Avila Beach access to southern San Luis Obispo, according to a news release issued by the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments and the county Parks Department.
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) released its staff recommendations for a funding pot that would help complete the Bob Jones Trail between the Ontario Road park ‘n’ ride lot and the Octagon Barn trailhead in southern San Luis Obispo.
The CTC recommends an $18.25 million award, the second largest this round of Cycle 5 funding, of which $445 million will be divided among the winning projects from 454 nominations statewide.
The commission will consider approval of staff recommendations at its March 24-25 meeting.
“The (state funding) program is consistently oversubscribed, and the (Central Coast) region has seen few awards over the previous four funding cycles,” the news release stated. “This was the county’s third attempt at securing ATP grant funds for this project.”
The completion of the project has been in the planning stages for years. Sections of the path are in place from Ontario Road to the beach and in San Luis Obispo, but a large middle portion connecting the two ends has been a difficult hurdle to clear.
The planned extension fills “an essential link in the region’s north-south bicycle network and constructs facilities suitable for people of all ages and abilities, providing an option for bicycling and walking to work/school/community destinations and access to nature and agricultural areas for recreation and exercise,” the release notes.
The project is designed with “a safe crossing from the Ontario Road park ‘n’ ride lot under U.S. Highway 101,” while eliminating two at-grade crossings (San Luis Bay Drive and Clover Ridge Lane), and avoiding the north and southbound on-and off-ramps on U.S. Highway 101 at South Higuera Street, where there is a history of collisions.
Bob Jones was an environmental advocate with “a lifelong interest in protecting natural habitat and the environment.” He worked for California Department of Fish and Wildlife (formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game) for 23 years, according to the nonprofit Land Conservancy website.
The Bob Jones City-to-Sea Trail project began over two decades ago, according to the site.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 5:55 PM.
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