Work on $25 Million Imperial Avenue Bikeway Officially Begins with Groundbreaking

Local leaders and bike advocates on Thursday morning celebrated the groundbreaking for the Imperial Avenue Bikeway.

“Many people use Imperial Avenue for everyday transportation, and giving them a more convenient travel option is going to positively transform their connections across the region,” said SANDAG and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas.

The 3.5-mile bikeway project will help create safer streets for people who walk, bike, drive and take transit, said officials from the San Diego Association of Governments – the regional agency widely known as SANDAG –in a news release.

The bikeway will feature separated and buffered bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, shared lane markings and other street improvements to allow for greater connectivity for all road users.

“Every person in every neighborhood should have the opportunity to safely and affordably get around our city. Today’s groundbreaking honors that commitment the city of San Diego made to all residents,” said San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera.

The bikeway will run along Imperial Avenue from 17th Street to 47th Street, and once completed, will connect to the regional bike network. The project spans four districts in San Diego and will provide access to Lincoln Park, Mountain View, Logan Heights, Stockton, Grant Hill and East Village.

Part of the Regional Bike Plan Early Action Program, an initiative approved by the SANDAG board in 2013, the bikeway is one of 16 bike projects in various stages of development.

The approximately $25 million project is funded by a combination of state and local funds, including TransNet, the regional half-cent sales tax for transportation administered by SANDAG, and a grant from the state’s Active Transportation Program.

A portion of the bikeway was funded through an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant awarded to Community HousingWorks. This grant helped build more than 70 affordable housing units and enhanced infrastructure in under-invested neighborhoods, providing active transportation options while preserving community character.

In addition, Caltrans District 11 Deputy Director Karen Jewel said the state agency will partner with two non-profit organizations and more than a dozen local artists to beautify public spaces and add community murals along Imperial where the bikeway crosses the state transportation system.

The Imperial Avenue Bikeway is expected to open to the public in 2026.