Construction has begun on the Mokelumne Trail bridge in Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority announced.

Officials from the county agency and Brentwood broke ground March 18 on the site of the future bridge, which will provide access for cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel. The project reconnects two sides of the trail that had been separated by the expansion of Highway 4.

The Mokelumne Trail runs from the Martinez Regional Shoreline to the north, Oakland to the west, and Brentwood to the east passing through Antioch.

This project is part of a larger plan to complete the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail that will connect six counties across California, from the East Bay to the Sierra Nevada.

The bridge also provides a connection to the planned Innovation Center at Brentwood, a 200-plus acre parcel that city officials have zoned for employer and development partners to create a workplace community.

Funding for the $13 million bridge, which is planned for completion in early 2023, came from Measure J, the State Route 4 Bypass Authority and bridge toll funds.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.