Dublin Celebrates Opening Of Iron Horse Trail Bridge

Despite the rain, the dedication ceremony for the new Iron Horse Trail Bridge in Dublin was filled with community spirit as officials and residents gathered to mark the occasion. Located at Dublin Boulevard near Scarlett Drive, the $14 million pedestrian and cyclist bridge is a major milestone for safety and traffic flow in the area.

The 230-foot-long, 20-foot-high free-span bridge provides a secure crossing over Dublin Boulevard for those traversing the Iron Horse Trail, a regional trail that follows a former Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way through Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Four crews spent 16 hours installing the 105-ton bridge over Dublin Boulevard in October 2023. The new bridge also aims to reduce traffic congestion along the busy roadway.

The project was funded from several sources, including Alameda County Measure B/BB, BART Measure RR and, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation Fund for Clean Air.

Dublin Mayor Mike McCorriston, Alameda County Transportation Commission Chair John Bauters, BART Director District 5 Melissa Hernandez, and Dublin Poet Laureate James Morehead were among the event's speakers. For Morehead, the ceremony marked the conclusion of his two-term tenure as Poet Laureate, where he made significant in-roads into the local and national poetry scene.

Representatives from several organizations attended the ceremony including Bike East Bay. Attendees celebrated by walking or cycling across the bridge for the first time, highlighting the structure's importance to the community as a safe and scenic addition to the trail.