Senator Blakespear secures funding for new Coast to Crest Trail bridge

Senator Catherine Blakespear recently obtained $10 million in state funding for local projects that will benefit North County San Diego’s District 38.

According to a news release, the $10 million in projects include improving the transportation corridor on Santa Fe Drive, helping to close a missing link of the San Dieguito River Park’s Coast to Crest Trail through the construction of a new bridge, and building housing for those experiencing homeless in Vista.

“These are critically important projects in my district. I’m tremendously grateful that my advocacy for these projects was effective in getting the projects funded,” Blakespear said in the news release. “It is a tough budget year, with state revenues substantially lower than last year, which motivated me to advocate even harder for state investment in important local initiatives. These projects would not be moving forward this year without this crucial funding.”

The $1.4 million secured for the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority will go toward helping complete the one-mile Osuna segment with a new 150-foot-long steel truss bridge across the San Dieguito River. The trail segment in the Fairbanks Ranch area will link four miles of western lagoon trail segments already in place to 27 miles of contiguous trail to the east closing a gap in the Coast to Crest (CTC).

“We are extremely grateful for these essential funds to close a long-standing gap in the Coast to Crest Trail,” said Shawna Anderson, executive director of the San Dieguito River Park JPA, in the news release.”The Osuna segment represents the 50th mile of the CTC Trail. The state funds combined with an existing public grant and private donations provide the needed funding to construct the bridge and trail and finally close this gap in the Coast to Crest Trail.”