San Bernardino County officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the completion of a project extending the trail from Waterman Avenue eastward to California Street in the city of Redlands.
"It brings us one step closer to completing the entire Santa Ana River Trail vision, connecting the Inland Empire to the coast; from the crest of the San Bernardino Mountains to the mouth of the Santa Ana River in Huntington Beach," said Amy Hutzel with the California State Coastal Conservancy.
The project took seven years to complete and involved the cooperation of multiple cities and other agencies.
"I thought how hard can that be to do? And then I learned about local government," joked Dawn Rowe, chairperson of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
"It is frustrating, because it's not just in our control. This goes through San Bernardino, the city of Redlands, unincorporated county (areas)," Rowe added. "It takes environmental reviews. It takes engineering and design.
"It is more complicated than any of us want it to be."
Dozens of cycling enthusiasts attended the ceremony. The extension of the Santa Ana River Trail will make it much more accessible for residents in cities like Redlands and Highland.
"It's closer to home," Andy Ndlela of Highland said. "And it means less time on the road with vehicles, especially during peak times."