The county is padlocking access to roughly two miles of paved road along the east side of the Santa Ana River from Anaheim to Santa Ana, closing entrances to bicyclists, pedestrians and homeless people living in tent encampments.

The reason: An uptick in complaints and safety concerns about the homeless who have settled along the targeted stretch of the river south from Katella Avenue to Hesperian Street, said Shannon Widor, spokesman for Orange County Public Works.

Public access to the Santa Ana River bike trail will remain open on the west river bank from Katella to Hesperian, Widor said.

Earlier this month, the county began installing thick chains secured by padlocks on the swinging access gates, such as at Chapman and Orangewood avenues, where homeless people cluster near and under overpasses.

On Aug. 15, dozens of homeless people entrenched in a ravine running parallel to the river north of Katella Avenue were asked to leave the area as county maintenance crews began doing work.

The actual bike trail weaves from either side of the river as it travels about 30 miles through Orange County from Huntington Beach to the Inland Empire.

The eastern road from Katella to Hesperian only became a de facto bike and pedestrian trail about 10 years ago in addition to its official use as an access road for maintenance workers and public safety vehicles, Widor said.

Homeless people have lived in the river bed going back decades, but their numbers – and visibility – have increased dramatically in recent years.

“Unfortunately, we have a growing homeless population. They have nowhere else to go and we understand,” Widor said. “We’re hearing from neighboring residents complaints of drug use and small fires being set along the bike trail.”

It’s been years since those gates have been locked, Widor said, and in the past that led to the county having to routinely replace vandalized chains and locks.

In recent days, a section of the fence at Chapman Avenue has been cut and pulled back to circumvent the locked gates.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7793 or twalker@ocregister.com or on Twitter @TellTheresa