It has been in the planning stages for half a century: a 100-mile biking and equestrian trail from the San Bernardino Mountains to Huntington Beach.

A completed Santa Ana River Trail would allow pedestrians to get to and from Orange County along trails without the hassle of traffic on the 91.

Dozens of miles of trail long have been finished in Orange County, but environmental and right-of-way acquisitions have stymied efforts in other areas, including a 15-mile stretch through Corona, Norco and Eastvale. Road signs posted in these areas direct riders through city streets, but it’s a far cry from the secluded trails most have envisioned.

That could change as early as 2019, Riverside County Parks Director Scott Bangle said.

More than $13 million in state dollars has been set aside to finish the pedestrian trails between Orange County and southern Eastvale. The route – half asphalt for bikes and walking, half dirt trail – will weave along the southern edge of the Prado Reservoir through a mix of natural and semi-industrial surroundings.

“We believe the trail would lead to healthier lifestyles,” Bangle said. “People just don’t move like they used to. So many kids are out of touch with nature. This will introduce them to wildlife and encourage families to get outside.”

‘EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS’

John Hawksley, president of the Riverside Bicycle Club, advocated for the Santa Ana River Trail’s completion for years.

He has ridden the patchwork of autonomous trails and demarcated city streets from Riverside to Huntington Beach several times, including parts in western Riverside County where he says drivers seem unwilling to share the road with bicyclists.

He was elated to hear that building permits for a new span of Riverside County trail could be approved by mid-2017. No motorized bikes will be allowed on Riverside County’s section of the trail.

“This will be great for the cycling community, to have a continuous path to the beach,” said Hawksley, a Highland resident. “But more than that, it benefits the rider whose only mode of transportation is a bicycle. This will improve the lives of so many people who need a safe way to get to one place or another. It’ll allow people to go much further and expand their horizons.”

In 2005, California voters passed Proposition 84, setting aside $45 million for the Santa Ana River Trail. The money is doled out by the California Coastal Conservancy as portions of the trail are approved.

In light of past delays, the county parks department hired the Riverside County Transportation Commission to ensure the trail is built on time. Environmental documents are being prepared for several several state, county and municipal agencies.

If all goes as planned, construction will start by spring 2018, Bangle said.

‘THAT’S HOW COMPLICATED IT IS’

The Orange County section of the trail runs along levies, built by the Army Corps of Engineers in response to a pair of 1930s floods. The raised embankments provide a clear pathway to the ocean.

No clear-cut route exists in Riverside County. Bangle said the newly proposed trail route involves far more agencies – California Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Water Resources Control Board and Orange County Public Works, among others – as well as ongoing highway and levy construction projects near Corona.

“We hired people that build freeways to build our trail; that’s how complicated it is,” Bangle said.

Alex Menor, the transportation commission’s engineer for the five-phase project in western Riverside County, said most of the trail should be finished by late 2018. One section will run along the southeastern border of the Prado Reservoir, from east of the Corona Municipal Airport to Dearborn Street in Eastvale. Another will border the northern edge of the 91 from the intersection of the 71 to Auto Center Drive in Corona.

Other sections depend on two dikes being built by the Army Corps of Engineers near the Prado Reservoir. No clear completion dates have been offered, and officials could not be reached for comment late last week. Once those projects are finished, the trail will run on dikes behind Prado Dam and under the railroad tracks at the Green River Golf Club.

“This will serve people throughout Southern California,” transportation commission Deputy Director John Standiford said.

‘OUR WORK IS JUST BEGINNING’

Even after the 15-mile section near Corona is complete, more work is needed to finish the route.

A small section of secluded bike trail still will be missing in Norco, in part because of pending construction on the Hamner Avenue Bridge, Bangle said.

Vast swaths of trail are missing in San Bernardino County as well. A 3.6-mile stretch between San Bernardino and Redlands, scheduled for completion in 2013, has yet to be built. San Bernardino County Regional Parks, the agency responsible for the trail east of Riverside County, has not finalized plans for the remaining 11 miles between California Street in Redlands and the San Bernardino National Forest, the department’s website states.

By the time the trail is completed, more than $100 million will have been spent on the Inland portions. Alternate roadside routes through Corona and other cities will remain when the trail is finished, giving riders more travel options, Bangle said.

Even when all the Santa Ana River Trail sections are linked, there still will be work.

“When it’s done, our work is just beginning,” Bangle said. “We have plans to connect to Highgrove Trail down to Box Springs (Mountain Park), to Butterfield Trail through Temecula. … It’s a continuous process.”

Contact the writer: 951-368-9644 or poneill@scng.comTwitter: @PE_PatrickO