Santa Cruz bike bridge

About one hundred people showed up on a rainy Friday afternoon for the dedication of a new bike/pedestrian bridge that crosses the San Lorenzo River adjacent to Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, California.

Highway 1 becomes of limited access highway with no pedestrian or bicycling allowed just east (nominally north) of River Street. This new bridge provides an important connection allowing walkers and cyclists access across the San Lorenzo River without traveling down to Water Street. This is a bridge I'll certainly use, giving me quick and easy access to downtown Santa Cruz, the beach and the Boardwalk that allows me to avoid Ocean Street traffic.

The bridge is located where the San Lorenzo River Path ends just short of Highway 1. The plan is for this path to eventually extend underneath Highway 1 and connect to River Street / Highway 9 past The Tannery area.

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Elsewhere in Santa Cruz, the city plans to raze Bicycle Trip Bike Park to make way for more beach parking. This popular BMX park located across from the Santa Cruz Wharf was always planned to be a temporary facility.

BMX riders and fans of the park would like a permanent home at Depot Park in Santa Cruz, but they need your support by showing up at these important meetings:

• "Friends of the Bicycle Park" meeting, Wednesday January 28, 6 PM at the Civic Center.
  
• Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Monday February 2, 4 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
  
• City Council meeting, Tuesday, February 24, 7 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.

The Bike Park was designed and constructed through private donations and volunteer labor, so all they're asking for is a permanent home at a city park.