Enhancements for Grove trail

BIKE PATH entrance on Nelson Street just north of Stanford Avenue in Garden Grove.  (OC Tribune photo).

Joggers, bicyclists, strollers and nature-lovers, rejoice.

A grant of $441,000 has been awarded to the City of Garden Grove for enhancements to the Medal of Trail that runs from Nelson Street northwest to Brookhurst Street along the old Pacific Electric right-of-way.

The grant from the “Clean California” project of the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) will go toward providing new trash receptacles, new benches, new bicycle racks and over 120,000 square feet of mulch at various locations throughout the trail corridor which will also prevent water runoff and flooding as well as add longevity to the recently-added 363 trees and landscaping.

Adding mulch is also intended to help reduce the “urban heat island” effect. The project will also see added 22 new pieces of fitness equipment.

That’s not the only change coming for the trail. In August, the announcement was made that $750,000 in federal funding has been allocated for the “Santa Ana-Garden Grove Rails to Trails Gap Closure Project,” which will extend the Medal of Honor trial southeast to link up with the Santa Ana River Trail which runs north to Orange and south to Huntington Beach.

When completed, it would allow people to bike or walk to the Santa Ana Transportation Center or board the under-construction OC Streetcar.