Cyclists of all ages and speeds pass as we stand at the side of this newly improved section of the Ventura River Trail. “Love what you’ve done with the place,” calls out one.
What they’ve done with the place is renovate around 1.8 miles of the existing trail, thanks to a state grant - repaving it, adding solar lighting and adding a public art mural.
"So what you see here is beautifully repaved and restrike paths, new signage, new solar lights that we didn't have before. The beautiful mural that you see in front of you. Also some rest areas and some bicycle fix stations. You know, just wanted to note that there's well over 200 trees were planted as a part of this project as well," explains Jeff Hereford, Principal Civil Engineer, City of Ventura Public Works.
He says the beautification fills a growing need to provide improvements for the aging trail, which connects Ventura to Ojai, as well as improving safety on the trail.
"This was pitch black, dark, and I have heard people in the morning with the runners coming through here and - before they're out on Ventura Avenue because that was lit and they felt a little more safe out there - now, with the lights on the Ventura River trail, it's all safe enough to come out here and run in the early mornings," said Hereford.
"The Ventura River Trail, which is a Rails to Trails project that was originally finished in the late 1990s. So really not much work has been done on it since then. This is an opportunity for us to really improve it and really facilitate people recreationally wise, traveling to work, doing their errands. So hopefully the connectivity of this bike path will be improved that way," said Hereford.
It’s about more than just recreation says Larry Abele. As the Chair of Bike Ventura County, he says he would like to see a chain reaction with the area flourishing as a hub for cycling, inspired by bike-friendly European countries like Sweden.
"As a automotive designer, I was always proud of California because we were first with unleaded gasoline, diesel, HGV lanes, catalytic converters, you name it. The rest of the world followed California. But when it comes to bike infrastructure and bike safety on the streets, unfortunately we don't rank that high," said Abele.
"I spent enormous time riding in Sweden and the bike infrastructure is far more developed than it is here. So I've dedicated all my retirement and volunteer time to make Ventura into the best bike friendly community," he said.
And not just for fun, also for the health benefits.
"As we all know, there's a health crisis going on. There's too much sedentary lifestyle. And it's unfortunate because so many of our daily trips are only a few miles and many people would love to ride bikes more," said Abele.
"Unfortunately, when they ride on the streets, they feel unsafe. People drive SUVs. They spend time on their phones. There's more traffic. So when we see developments like this, hopefully it will inspire more people that yearn to ride bikes, to get on their bikes, enjoy riding bikes again," he said.
The Ventura River Trail Improvement project officially opens on Friday, September 13.
