Bicyclists Try Out Trail’s First Stretch

San Fernando and Metropolitan Transit Authority officials celebrated the grand opening Friday of the Mission City Trail, a one-mile, multiuse pathway that will eventually link with other trails leading all the way to Burbank.

After a few words from Mayor Raul Godinez II and the ceremonial ribbon cutting, about two dozen residents and officials mounted bikes and took an initial spin on the trail, which runs along Truman Street next to Metrolink tracks from Hubbard Avenue in the west to the Pacoima Wash in the east.

The trail, built with a $990,000 grant from the MTA, was designed to accommodate walkers, joggers, bicyclists and skaters. The city of Los Angeles, making use of similar grants, is planning to build connecting paths that will eventually extend from Sylmar to Burbank, officials said.

“It’s only a mile but it’s really a beautiful bikeway,” said Michael Drake, public works director for San Fernando.

“We’re the first link in the Valley chain.”

Built of concrete and separated from the Metrolink tracks by a 6-foot fence, the 8-foot wide path has two traffic lanes, lighting, benches, landscaping and signs welcoming users to the Mission City Trail.

Drake said the trail will be used for more than just recreation.

“It’s wide enough for a car and it will enable our police officers to patrol along that long stretch of railroad property more easily,” Drake said.

While construction on the project was completed only last week, residents have been testing out finished parts of the trail for the past month or two, officials said.

City Engineer Jerry Wedding said his department received numerous calls from residents during the construction asking when the trail would be finished.

“It’s like ‘Field of Dreams,’ ” Wedding said. “You build a path and the bicyclists come.”