A community celebration last Thursday marked the opening of the 1.5 mile Pleasanton-to-Livermore Arroyo Trail.

"What an accomplishment. What a partnership. What a success story," said Zone 7 board member Dick Quigley, who was among speakers that included representatives from Alameda County and the California Natural Resources Agency.

The trail, designed for pedestrians, bicyclists and horseback riders, is located in western Livermore along Arroyo las Positas, east of El Charro Road and south of West Jack London Boulevard. Zone 7 owns this section of Arroyo las Positas for flood protection purposes.

The trail system provides an option for commuters, including those traveling to BART, as well as a trail for recreational users.

Quigley noted that Zone 7 has a "trail-friendly" Stream Management Master Plan. For this project, Zone 7 provided the city of Livermore with a recreational use license agreement and a bridge easement for a trail crossing of the arroyo.

The new trail segment extends from the existing Isabel Trail at West Jack London Boulevard and will connect to Pleasanton's westerly Arroyo Mocho Trail in Fall 2013. This trail connection is part of the Tri-Valley trail system that links local trail networks as well as the regional trails extending north into Contra Costa County, and south into the Sunol wilderness area. n

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