(Pictured left to right: Councilmember Scott
Sherman, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego River
Park Foundation Executive Director Rob Hutsel,
Councilmember Lorie Zapf)

On April 21, 2014, City of San Diego officials ceremoniously cut the red ribbon on the San Diego River Multi-Use Bicycle and Pedestrian Pathway. The ceremony was held at Avenida del Rio, at the location completing a connection between existing bike paths that end on either side of SR-163.

Joining Mayor Faulconer were those who helped make the project a reality, including Councilmembers Scott Sherman and Lorie Zapf, Public Works InterimAssistant Director Marnell Gibson, representatives from the San Diego River Park Foundation, theSan Diego River Coalition, theSan Diego County Bicycle Coalition, the San Diego River Conservancy, theMission Valley Planning Group, CALTRANS (District 11), and local residents.

This $1.8 million project consists of a quarter-mile of new multi-use pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians. "The rebuilding of San Diego into a more bike-and-pedestrian-friendly City continues with projects like this one," Faulconer said.

Councilmember Sherman added, "This pathway gets us one step closer to fulfilling the vision of a continuous pathway from the ocean to the mountains."

Councilmember Zapf said, "San Diego is the perfect city for dedicated bike paths like this, and there are many families like mine who are looking forward to biking safely along the river."

The project's improvements include:

• Completion of a missing path segment for bicyclists and pedestrians along the San Diego River.
• Safety components include luminaries, street lights, easier access for persons with disabilities and signage.
• An information kiosk for community postings.

Faulconer concluded with, "The San Diego River Multi-Use Bicycle and Pedestrian Pathway is the culmination of a lot of hard work by city officials and neighborhood residents to transform this corridor for the future!"

To view the ribbon-cutting ceremony, click on the link below.