In two years runners, cyclists, walkers and dogs alike will be able to traverse a pedestrian bridge over the 5 Freeway, part of the final stretch of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail in Irvine.
The JOST already stretches 3.5 miles, cutting through the center of the city adjacent to Jeffrey Road. The city aims to complete a 1.5-mile extension running from Barranca Parkway to the 5, the pedestrian bridge a part of that extension.
At its completion in early 2026, the bridge, at almost 1,200 feet long and supported by six columns, will span the 5, the Jeffrey Road Park and Ride Lot off the freeway and Walnut Avenue south of Jeffrey Road.
“Through meticulous planning, we have preserved thousands of acres of parks and open space, ensuring one-third of our city is available to residents and visitors to enjoy and explore,” said Mayor Farrah Khan.
The bridge, which will connect the gap between the northern Cypress Village Trail to the JOST extension, will be the city’s longest pedestrian bridge, according to project manager Alex Salazar.
Users will have access to a 15-foot wide enclosed walkway with a fence railing treated with a rough metal finish that will make it “virtually maintenance-free,” said Salazar. It will also feature an LED deck and accent lighting in the nighttime.
Construction on the rest of the 1.5-mile extension from Walnut Avenue to Barranca Parkway — the final segment of the JOST — is slated to begin at the end of the year. When completed, it will result in a seamless pedestrian and bicycle path from Portola Parkway to Interstate 405.
“This will be a key link between the trails that extend between the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ana Mountains and the Cleveland National Forest,” Salazar said.
Ultimately, the city plans to extend the northernmost tip of the JOST, which stops at the southern end of Portola Parkway, all the way to the Gateway Preserve — a nearly 700-acre open space preserve located in the hills above north Irvine — by way of another pedestrian bridge. Construction on that project is also anticipated to begin this year.
The origin of the lush, scenic trail dates back to 1988, when Irvine voters approved the landmark Open Space Initiative to preserve 16,500 acres of undeveloped land, including the section that would later become the JOST. In 2001, residents collaborated with the Irvine Company to pick the woodsy and rolling terrain theme for the trail.
Segments of the JOST were completed as the northern part of the city was developed, said city spokesperson Kristina Perrigoue. The remaining segments, the pedestrian bridge over the 5 and the extension from Walnut Avenue to Barranca Parkway, were pursued as funding became available and the city received approval from the Department of Transportation, said Perrigoue.
In 2021, the state legislature OK’d $14.5 million in funding for the JOST, which city leaders say will support the completion of the 1.5-mile extension.
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“I personally can’t wait to bring my family, my three kids, out here,” Sen. Dave Min, who requested the funding, said at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the pedestrian and bicycle path on Thursday, March 28. “This has been something that has been a priority for many years, something that was talked about doing.”
Apart from being an asset to those who love the outdoors, the pathway will represent “good climate policy,” said Min.
“Open space preservation has been a key part of Irvine and my own priorities, trying to preserve and expand open spaces here in California consistent with California’s conservation goals,” he said. “My hope is that as people begin to hike and bike along these trails, they’ll gain an appreciation and respect for the importance of nature.”
Once the 1.5-mile JOST extension is completed, the city will have spent approximately $46 million on it — $31 million for the pedestrian bridge and $15 million for the rest of the extension.
