VILLA PARK

The City Council has reaffirmed its support for a proposal to develop a recreational trail that would traverse the city along the abandoned Southern Pacific Railroad line. The railroad spur runs from the Santa Ana River in Orange to Newport Boulevard in Tustin. In Villa Park, the railroad right-of-way passes through the Orchards housing development and south along the east side of Wanda Road to Collins Road. When the housing tract was approved in 1989, the council secured the easement for future development of the trail.

Caltrans has applied for federal grant money to convert the abandoned railroad right-of-way into an off-road, multipurpose recreational trail system. The grant would cover 80% of the cost to buy the right-of-way and build the trail.