Trails

The Bay Area is home to an extensive trails network, several of which are under development throughout Alameda County. They serve as recreational, commuter and community access corridors.

Developing, building and maintaining trails and greenways requires extensive partnerships with cities, counties, park districts, Caltrans, transportation agencies, community members, regulatory agencies, funding partners and in some cases, non-profits. Each step of project development and delivery requires close partnerships to plan, fund, deliver, maintain and operate the trails.

Alameda County Transportation Commission is funding development of the following three Alameda County trails with $264 million in Measure BB transportation sales tax funds (or three percent of total funds) in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths and Safety Program:

Funding Sources

Local funding through Alameda CTC’s Measure B, Measure BB and Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) expenditure plans include countywide discretionary bicycle and pedestrian funds that are programmed competitively by Alameda CTC’s:
  • Measure B: approved by voters in 2000.
  • Measure BB: approved by the voters in 2014 to generate nearly $8 billion over 30 years for essential transportation improvements throughout Alameda County.
    • Completion of major trails: these funds are for project development, construction and capital maintenance only. Routine maintenance is not eligible from this funding source. ($264 million)
    • Direct local distributions are improvements are funded by Measure B, Measure BB and VRF. Routine maintenance of trails is an eligible use of these funds. (~$232 million for bicycle and pedestrian trails)
Regional dollars fund major roadway and public transit improvements with an increase in bridge tolls in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area except the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Regional Measure 3 (RM 3) includes $150 million to expand the San Francisco Bay Trail and Safe Routes to Transit for bicyclists and pedestrians.
The State of California Department of Transportation‘s Active Transportation Program funds bicycle and pedestrian trails with a focus on preventative maintenance of bikeways and walkways, extending service life of facilities.
  • 2018 Cycle 4 has programmed $440 million statewide for FY 2020-23.
  • The California Natural Resources Agency also proposes $24.7 million in grant funds.
Several federal fund sources are available through the Federal Highway Administration’s funding programs. Bicycle and pedestrian trails are often supported through private sources, such as developer fees, nonprofit organizations/community groups and volunteers through Adopt-a-Trail.