Sand Canyon Side Path

The Sand Canyon Side Path - Multi Use "Trail" in Irvine California
Updated November 11, 2016

The City of Irvine has completed the Sand Canyon Side Path - a multi use trail and Class I Bike way that runs from Portola & the Portola Side Path to Alton and the Freeway Trail which was paved in 2014 - connecting the Alton end of the Sand Canyon Side Path to the Jeffrey Open Space Trail & the Jeffrey Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge over the 405 Freeway

A Class I Bikeway is a designated off street transportation route for bicycles.
Orange County has several multi-use paths (hiking, riding, bicycling etc.) which are designated as "Class I Routes" but they may have 5, 8 or 10 mph speed limits and be closed from dusk to dawn, and are shared with other non-bicycle users, so they do not always work as well as streets for bicycle commuting as an active transportation even though often funded by transportation dollars.
Orange County Highway Design suggests Class I bikeways should be separated from parallel pedestrian walkways or trails, but most often multi-use paths are shown as Class I bikeways.
A Path is paved. A Trail is unpaved. Irvine chooses to call paved multi use paths "trails".
A Side Path is a unique type of Class I bikeway. It typically offers a bike path immediately adjacent to a road way that is not a Class III route or Class II Bike Lane.
In a rural setting, a side path can provide a calm alternative to riding in traffic for many miles.
In a developed setting, every drive way and intersection poses conflicts with vehicle traffic - and when a multi-use side walk, creates conflicts with pedestrians.
Signals for traffic may be green while cross walk signals are red; Cyclists who take advantage of the green light are at great risk when they ride across a cross walk when vehicles do not expect pedestrians to be there.
As a 2 way facility, riding against traffic, cyclists are operating from the wrong side of traffic, like side walk riding, and may be in conflict with turning and merging vehicles at every single drive way and intersection.
Many cities plan for this by providing separate signal controls for the side path, similar to an urban cycle-track. A best practice is to provide a one way side path - separate from a side walk - on each side of the road way.

The Sand Canyon Side Path is not such an ideal facility; essentially it is a very wide side walk running along the west southbound side of Sand Canyon from Portola to Alton. It has no bicycle oriented controls or special crosswalk treatments.

As of December 2014, the only remaining gap in the construction zone under the 5 Freeway and rail road track underpass... (Pink dotted section) became ridable.
The block being developed as the Hoag Medical Center across from Hoag Irvine, between the San Diego Creek Trail & Alton had some impact / closure during construction but is now (2016) completed, and actually has upgraded the asphalt side path to a separate bikeway AND provided an edge of road side walk, but pedestrians are more likely to walk on the bikeway than adjacent to the vehicular traffic. The City has not posted any signs suggesting separate use (Pedestrians on side walk & cyclists on bikeway)

Index of Intersections: (North to West)
North East End
Portola (Free Right)

Portola Side Path (east and west)
Spring Meadow
Irvine Blvd
Woodbury Town Center drive way (NO Crosswalk)

Strata
Crossland (No signal)

Town Gate
Trabucco (Free Right)

Roosevelt
Night Mist
Cypress Village Trail (west only)
NB I-5 Freeway on & off ramp
I-5 Freeway bridge
SB I-5 off ramp
Burt
Railroad Track bridge
Walnut Trail (west only)
Oak Canyon (Street has 2 names - Laguna Canyon to the east)
"Associate Entrance" Drive way (Free Right, NO crosswalk)

Irvine Center Drive
Verizon Drive way (Free Right, NO crosswalk)

Waterworks Way
Barranca Parkway
San Diego Creek Trail (east and west)
Hoag Irvine (Hoag Health Center to west)
Alton Parkway
Freeway Trail
South West End

Here is a virtual tour:
Starting at the north east end,
the "side path" (a wide side walk designed to serve as a Multi-Use trail & designated as a Class I bikeway route)
starts on an island at the SW corner of Sand Canyon and Portola.

Portola has a deadly 'free right turn' onto Sand Canyon, so keep alert to high speed not-stopping vehicle traffic !
The Portola Side Path follows Portola in both directions and connects here at this corner.
The Sand Canyon Side Path is concrete, lighted and well landscaped, and all down hill from here!

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

A Continental, Zebra or Ladder pattern would be better than the very worn Standard cross walk there.
This is especially important to alert road users that bicycles are operating against traffic on the side path
and will reach the cross walk faster than a pedestrian would, so additional alertness is required.

Cross walk painting options: Irvine currently only uses "Standard" for all cross walks and bikeway crossings.
Ladder or Zebra painting would make the crossing of bikeways stand out from pedestrian cross walks.

Side path riders have to deal with intersections like a side walk does, so the first cross walk is at Spring Meadow.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

TIP:
If the cross walk light is green, still look back & make sure cars on your left see you
before riding into the cross walk, in case they might be turning left or right across your path of
travel. Motorists expect pedestrians, but on a bicycle you will be going faster and they may not
see you in time to avoid hitting you.
If the cross walk light has begun to flash red or count down, it is too late. You are legally required - just like a
pedestrian to wait for the next green light.
IF you are on the correct side of the street, and the street light is green for vehicles, you may safely merge
into traffic to cross the street then return to the side path. It is your responsibility to check for traffic, signal,
and merge safely into the street.
It is illegal to do this against traffic (facing traffic on the wrong side of the roadway) so going north here,
you must follow the cross walk rules and wait for a green WALK signal, AND remember motorist will not expect
traffic coming on the wrong side.

Irvine Boulevard - Woodbury Town Center is on the west corner...

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

CAUTION!
There are some very wide expansion cracks in the concrete just south of Irvine Blvd that your tire could get stuck in...
Keep your eyes on the road ahead & scan for hazards!

Woodbury Town Center drive way;

CAUTION! There is NO CROSS WALK and cars have a "free right" turn into this drive way!
Look back & make sure cars on your left see you before riding off the side walk here - in case
they might be turning right across your path of travel. Motorists may expect pedestrians,
but on a bicycle you will be going faster and they may not see you in time to avoid hitting you.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Strata is another entrance to the Woodbury Town Center - but has a signal & cross walk!

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Crossland: No red light on Sand Canyon so watch out for turning cars before trusting the cross walk

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Towngate

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

CAUTION!
There are some very wide cracks in the concrete just south of Towngate that your tire could get stuck in...
Keep your eyes on the road ahead & scan for hazards!

Trabucco Road

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Trabucco has a deadly 'free right turn' onto Sand Canyon, so keep alert to high speed not-stopping vehicle traffic !

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Roosevelt

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Nightmist

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Cypress Village Trail - This trail runs west along the south edge of Cypress Village 1 mile to the Jeffrey Open Space Trail.

CAUTION!
If you try to ride off, or merge onto Sand Canyon here you will find a very big curb at this "drive way"!
It is designed to allow maintenance and emergency vehicles to get up the curb, but is NOT Bicycle Friendly!
Keep your eyes on the road ahead & scan for hazards!

The Trail LOOKS like it intersects with Sand Canyon from the east, but this was unfortunately NOT built for bicycles:

It is only a matter of time before some one crashes, trying to turn right up this 'driveway' or turning right off this 'driveway' onto
Sand Canyon road from the trail. If you are not expert at curb jumping, dismount & step over this hazard.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this curb red or by providing a bicycle curb cut.

North Bound Interstate 5 freeway on ramp & off ramp
When this picture was taken on July 7th, 2014 when the side path was completed to the corner of Sand Canyon and south bound I-5 one &
off ramps.
If you want to cross Sand Canyon, the next opportunity is at Burt, on the other side of the freeway.
Some good news is that the Sand Canyon right turn lane onto the freeway on ramp is NOT a free right turn lane,
so cars will have to stop & wait for pedestrians and bicycles to cross the ramp before turning right.

The City of Irvine could insist that CalTrans improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

TIP:
In California Law, bicycles are expected to operate on street with the same
rights and rules as motor vehicles.
Some cyclists always ride on side walks and love the side paths & trails;
Others tend to stay on the edge of the road way & like Bike Lanes. Many are
experienced & drive their bicycles in traffic. This is safer, because motorists look for
traffic where other vehicles are, and more often won't see you on the edge or may
try to pass you dangerously closely. By controlling your lane, you choose when it is
wide enough to share - if too narrow, the motorist behind you can slow down &
follow you, or signal, change lanes and safely pass you. In September 2014 the new
3 foot passing law goes into effect that prohibits passing a bicycle unless there is
enough room to pass with 3 feet of clearance.
If there is a Bike Lane, you do not have to stay in it if there are hazards, obstacles,
you are turning left or you are approaching a corner ore drive way where cars may turn right
in front of you, or you are passing a slower cyclist;
You DO have to merge safely into traffic; using hand signals, looking back and
merging without impeding traffic... just like a motor vehicle should.

Interstate 5 freeway Bridge - The Side Path is now fully open, but is not very wide with a vertical wall to share - so slow down & be ready for 2
way traffic and pedestrians, and motorists exiting the freeway on the other end of the underpass .

Here is detail on how the Sand Canyon Trail dodges between electrical boxes & squeezes under the bridge.
The right wall of the bridge is very course (anti graffiti textured) and will tear your arm up if you pass to close & touch...
Also will need to watch for on coming northbound cyclists & pedestrians around this blind corner with obstructed line of sight...

South Bound Interstate 5 freeway off ramp - Watch for cars running that red light on the off ramp as you come out of the
shadow of the bridge. There will be light posts and electrical boxes in the side path here too...

The City of Irvine could insist that CalTrans improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Here is the path looking north (on September 1st 2014:)
Having such electrical boxes & poles in the shared use side walk is not an ideal Class I Bikeway situation.

Burt

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

As of August 2014 the road was paved & open in both directions under the tracks, but the Bike Lane has only been stripped on
the Southbound side starting past the Walnut Trail at the bottom.
In November 2016 there is still no Bike Lane from the Freeway to the Walnut Trail, but the side path has been completely finished.

Rail Road Tracks Bridge - The new bridge over Sand Canyon is completed for trains but no extension of the Walnut Trail was
included; Sand Canyon has 3 travel lanes lanes southbound and the shared use Sand Canyon Side Path

Walnut Trail "T" intersection with Sand Canyon Side Path and Sand Canyon. This is a view of the new alignment (Sept 2014).
The access to the east end of the Walnut Trail, which follows the rail road right-of-way west over Jeffrey,
under Yale, over Culver to the Harvard Trail, Harvard Avenue, the Como Channel Trail to the upper Peters Canyon Trail.
There is a curb cut / drive way to the Walnut Trail so riders on the southbound roadway (no Bike Lane) will be able to cross the
Sand Canyon Trail to turn right up the Walnut Trail here. Watch out for passing cyclist on the road turning right across your
path on the side-path.
As of August 2014 Sand Canyon was open in both directions under the tracks, but the Bike Lane had only been stripped on the
southbound side starting just south of the Walnut Trail.
As of November 2016, there is still no Bike Lane southbound from north of the Freeway to this point just south of the tracks.
The east 1 mile of the Walnut Trail was still closed until February 2015 (going on 4 years!)

<= Laguna Canyon / Oak Canyon => Follow the pedestrian rules and be very aware of traffic, especially if riding
northbound against the Sand Canyon traffic on the 'wrong side'.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

"Associate Entrance" Drive way - It would be safer to have striped cross walk painted here as the side path crosses a free right turn.
The City of Irvine could improve the safety here by painting stripes at this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Irvine Center Drive

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

CAUTION!
There are some more very wide cracks in the concrete just south of Irvine Center Drive that your tire could
get stuck in...
Keep your eyes on the road ahead & scan for hazards!

Verizon Drive Way- It would be safer to have striped cross walk painted here as the side path crosses a free right turn.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

CAUTION! AGAIN; There is NO CROSS WALK and cars have a "free right" turn into this drive way!
Look back & make sure cars on your left see you before riding off the side walk here - in case
they might be turning right across your path of travel. Motorists may expect pedestrians,
but on a bicycle you will be going faster and they may not see you in time to avoid hitting you.

Waterworks Way

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

Barranca Parkway

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway:

CAUTION!
There are some more cracks in the concrete, rough asphalt & bollards in the way just south of Barranca Parkway.
The 2 bollards are to keep utility trucks from driving on the trail over the creek bridge, but can be a hazard to
cyclists.
Keep your eyes on the road ahead & scan for hazards!

San Diego Creek Trail - It was a windy Santa Ana day April 2014 & the gate blew closed, but this is the connector to the trail
which runs down stream all the way to Upper Newport Bay and up stream to the old Verizon Amphitheater / Wild Animal Park
development. The green vacant lot is now built out as the Hoag Health Center:

There is here a unique preservation of the original separation of side walk from asphalt bike path for the rest of the way to Alton:

Unfortunately that bad design flaw of putting the side walk on the road edge & hiding the bike path behind shrubs was also preserved...

Hoag Irvine -
Watch out for merging side walk and trail users all forced to use this minimal corner cross walk. Also watch for turning vehicles
as the landscape hides you in the set-back side path from the view of turning motorists. Unfortunately the bikeway was not
given a preferred bikeway treatment but is funneled into a standard pedestrian "ADA corner curb-cut" which can be deadly when
2- way bicycle traffic pushes northbound cyclists into oncoming or turning road traffic. This also would have kept the bike path
users more visible to overtaking motorists on Sand Canyon. (Fortunately there is an ER across the street)

The City of Irvine could have improved safety by putting the side path along the road edge & making a new foot path /
side walk for pedestrians closer to the buildings, farthest from traffic. This standard provides the safest path for pedestrians, and
also makes cyclists more visible to road users who may not notice them when turning across the side path. Providing a full width
drive way, rather than a funneling corner side walk curb cut allows space for 2 way traffic of cyclist and pedestrians, and painting the cross walk
to uniquely designate is as a bikeway alert motorist to anticipate 2-way bicycle traffic.

TIP:
In California Law, bicycles are required when operated on roadways - which includes Bike Lanes -
in the same direction as all motor vehicles. A leading cause of bicycle accidents with cars is the
fault of wrong way riders in conflict with the normal rules of the road, being followed by all traffic.
Side walks & shoulders are not technically part of the road way, so you MAY ride against traffic,
but this is very dangerous. At every intersection & driveway, motorists are looking for traffic from their left to
merge with & quite often do not see you coming up on their right (the wrong way). It is really worth crossing the
street to ride with traffic if you are riding on a shoulder or sidewalk. Also - many cities have passed laws that
prohibit riding on a side walk at all - so check each town you might be riding through if you like riding on side
walks.
The Sand Canyon Side Path looks like a wide side walk, but it was designed as a Class 1 bike route / multi-use
trail, so riding the wrong way is expected, but watch out for motorists who do not expect traffic from their right
as they peel around making 'California stops' at right corners, or worse - at free rights where they do not have
to stop unless they NOTICE a pedestrian or bicycle is in the cross walk. Also note that Cross Walks, if legal to
use, are only to be used when the green or white "walk" sign is lit - once the hand goes blinking red or the
count down starts, it is too late and you are legally required to wait for the next walk signal or you are illegally
and dangerously "J-Walking."

Alton Parkway - The Freeway Trail continues across Alton from the south west corner of Sand Canyon and runs west along
the fence of the north bound 405 Freeway.

The City of Irvine could improve safety by painting this cross walk to uniquely designate it as a bikeway: