New Section Of SF Bay Trail Opens In San Mateo County

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — The San Francisco Bay Trail added a new section near East Palo Alto that opened to the public on Friday, closing a .6-mile gap along an 80-mile stretch of the trail.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District hosted a virtual opening ceremony on Friday, giving viewers a tour and a chance to learn about the bay trail, a planned 500-mile walking and cycling path through all nine Bay Area counties. So far, 350 miles of the trail have been completed.

The new section is located between University Avenue and the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve near East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. It includes a new wooden boardwalk, a bridge across the wetlands in the north and fully accessible paths for bicyclists and pedestrians.

"Over the past six months, as we all do our part to keep each other healthy during these unusual times, it has become even more apparent how critical the healing powers of nature are to our physical, mental and emotional well being," said MidPen General Manager Ana María Ruiz.

"During shelter at home, our outdoor open space has remained an essential service and a much-needed respite to so many people."

The project also includes improvements to the 1.4-mile stretch of existing trail along the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve.

The preserve is predominantly tidal salt marsh, and provides a home to many fish and animals. Biologist and Natural Resources specialist Karine Tokatlian spoke of the Ridgway's rail (a type of bird) and the salt marsh harvest mouse, two endangered species that live in the preserve.

"Lush marshes like this once reigned the bay," Tokatlian said.

"But unfortunately, today only about 10 percent of those original marshlands remain as they were developed and converted to other land uses over time."

During the trail's construction, the project followed seasonal work restrictions to protect the animals.

The trail will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and accessible by automatic trail gates at University Avenue and Bay Road. The University Avenue entrance, just north of Purdue Avenue in East Palo Alto, is for pedestrians and bicyclists only while the Bay Road entrance further south has parking available.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors to the trail must stay at least six feet away from each other if not from the same household. Face coverings are required if staying six feet away is not possible, especially on narrow stretches of a trail.

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