New Irvine pedestrian bridge opens, spanning over the 5 Freeway

The Irvine community celebrated the opening of a new bridge today by walking on it over the 5 Freeway.

The $14.5 million Jeffrey Open Space Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge is almost 1,200 feet long and 15 feet wide, spanning the I-5 Freeway.

In 2015, the Jeffrey Open Space Trail opened as a 3.5-mile path. During a 2024 ground-breaking ceremony for the bridge, city and state leaders called it a key link connecting JOST trails with the coastal trail network, the Santa Ana Mountains, and the Cleveland National Forest.

"Southern California's reliance on the private automobile has been in many respects a curse on communities," Irvine Mayor Larry Agran said. "We want to encourage people to walk, to bicycle, to enjoy the city itself."

The JOST bridge is supported by six columns and includes trail monuments and signage.

Local resident Becky Lew brought her dog to the opening ceremony to walk the bridge. "I saw this was open, I'm so excited," she said. "I've been waiting so long for this."