Rancho Cucamonga will take on upkeep of new trail through city
The San Sevaine Trail Project is another step closer to reality after the Rancho Cucamonga City Council last week approved an agreement with Caltrans to maintain part of the future trail.
The trail project is a partnership with the city of Fontana, where the trail starts. Parts of the trail will run through Caltrans property as it passes under the 210 and 15 freeways.
“The San Sevine Trail project is the first of hopefully multiple segments of a trail,” said Jason Welday, director of engineering services and city engineer for Rancho Cucamonga.
Rancho Cucamonga will be responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the parts of the trail crossing Caltrans property in addition to the parts of the trail in the city. The council at its March 15 meeting moved to approve the agreement as part of the consent calendar.
The project means more than a mile of multi-use trail for running, walking and biking, will be added to Rancho Cucamonga early next year.
The trail will extend from the Pacific Electric Trail, where it meets the Etiwanda Creek Channel in Fontana, to Banyan Street in Rancho Cucamonga.
Under the agreement with Caltrans, the city will ultimately be responsible for graffiti removal, maintaining the trail’s pavement, signs, striping, drainage, fencing, and lighting. Welday said these are common responsibilities and similar to the city’s maintenance of other trails.
Welday said the city is a cooperative partner and plans to provide technical services, inspection services, and the city will extend the right of way agreements that they have already worked out with Caltrans and the county to Fontana to build the trail.
“We are extending them to Fontana to build it and then we would operate it and then ultimately we would maintain operation,” Welday said.
In 2010 the city entered into a Common Use Agreement with San Bernardino County Flood Control District to develop trails along portions of Day Creek and Deer Creek Channels, the agreement was modified in December 2020 to include the San Sevaine Trail Project. The city has also received permits from Caltrans to build the trail.
The staff report from the council’s March 15 meeting, said the project is a continuation of the city’s efforts to develop a trail network outlined in the city’s General Plan.
“It is a great project, it helps our city trail network as well,” said Welday. The city plan shows a “multi-use trail at this location” and he said this will improve “trail access for the community, so we are happy to participate in it.”
A six-month budget for trail maintenance will be added to the city budget for 2023-2024 as maintenance will not begin until after construction ends.
Monique Carter, communications and marketing manager for Fontana, said the city expects to begin construction in summer and hopes to have the trail open by early 2024.