A New Way Around Town: Redding’s Downtown

Bike Loop Brings People & Places Together By Sara Sundquist

There’s a new bike loop in town and this five-mile connection makes it easier to experience two of Redding’s most vibrant features: Downtown Redding and the Sacramento River Trail.

This long-awaited connection, the last portion of the loop, will be completed this spring. The City of Redding obtained grant funding from the Active Transportation Program to reconstruct the entrance to the Civic Auditorium, the Redding Rodeo Grounds and Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The loop will make it safer and easier for people to walk and bike to these key Redding destinations. The sidewalk along the Highway 44 overpass will be widened and a path will continue along the lawn of the Redding Civic Auditorium toward the Sundial Bridge.

Evolution of the Redding Bike Loop

This loop has been in the works for decades with various portions completed over the years. In the early 1900s, the Sacramento River Trail was built along the river through Lake Redding and Caldwell Park. In 1997, the historical Diestelhorst Bridge was converted to a pedestrian bridge. In 2004, the iconic Sundial Bridge was built to span the Sacramento River. Twenty years later, in 2024, the City of Redding completed the Butte-Continental-Trinity Street bikeway, which is bidirectional and separated from vehicular traffic on one side of the street.

Bike Loop Connects Downtown Redding

The Downtown Bike Loop is designed to feel like a trail experience, serving as a connection to the larger Sacramento River Trail. The bikeway also has sidewalks along the route, inviting pedestrians to meander their way into Downtown Redding. At Center Street, trail users can turn south to enjoy the vibrant mix of shops and restaurants in Downtown Redding. Turning north allows users to complete the loop by continuing to Riverside Drive, following the path under the historic Diestelhorst Bridge, then looping back across it.

The new loop puts adventure right at your feet. It’s great for families who want to ride their bikes to a park, the Redding Aquatic Center, Turtle Bay Exploration Park or to grab ice cream or a snack downtown. Attending concerts and special events like Kool April Nites car shows and the Redding Rodeo by bike, scooter, roller skates or on foot isn’t just possible with the completion of the loop – it’s ideal. Imagine bypassing traffic while feeling the wind in your hair as you cruise along! The route makes it easy for students at nearby schools, such as Sequoia Middle School and Turtle Bay School, to organize group rides with friends.

Every feature of the Butte-Continental-Trinity Pathway has a purpose.

• Green paint serves as a high-visibility warning alerting all users that  bicycles will be using the space.
• White bollards add visibility/protection between cars and bicycles.
• Parking is used as a barrier between moving cars and bikes.
• Signalized bike intersection: the intersection at Trinity and Market senses bicycles  at the intersection and gives cyclists their own lighted bike signal.

May is Bike Month

• Get your child ready to ride with the Bike Rodeo at Caldwell Park, Saturday, April 18, 11am-4pm. Bring your child’s bike and helmet or borrow one at the event. The Bike Rodeo, sponsored by California Highway Patrol and Healthy Shasta, is a bike safety event that teaches kids proper signaling, turning, yielding, braking and bike control.
• Bike to School Day is Wednesday, May 6. Organize a group of students to ride to school for the 16th Annual National Bike to School Day. Several schools around Shasta County take part in this fun-filled event every year. For tips on organizing a bike bus to school, visit healthyshasta.org.
• Sign up for the Shasta Bike Challenge. Participate as an individual, as a group member or through your workplace. Dust off your bike, ride, log your miles and win. Visit shastabikechallenge.org to sign up and learn more.
• Gear up for the Bigfoot Adventure Challenge: Explore trails in Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou to ride or hike. This year, take part in the Bigfoot Adventure Challenge by finding Bigfoot along several trails. Download your passport for this family-friendly adventure in April and May at bigfootadventurechallenge.com.