The City of Moreno Valley is pleased to announce it has won the 2023 B.E.S.T. Project of the Year Award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA).
The APWA honored the City for the third and final segment of the ongoing Juan Bautista de Anza Multi-Use Trail Project, which will be completed in January 2024. The APWA recognized The City’s pioneering approach to promoting safe and healthy communities by improving essential recreational and athletic infrastructures. The APWA announced the award on Tuesday, October 31.
“This incredible honor highlights the important work and ongoing dedication of our Public Works Department to bring innovative public infrastructure to Moreno Valley,” said Mayor Ulises Cabrera. “This trail is yet another way to keep our City beautiful, healthy, and active. I want to thank the APWA for this recognition and our City staff for always striving to better the health, wellness, and safety of our community.”
The roughly eight-mile Juan Bautista de Anza Multi-Use Trail connects the entire City, from Towngate Boulevard in the north to the Lake Perris Recreation Area in the south. The trail offers a dedicated recreation area for walkers, joggers, and cyclists of all ages. The third segment of the trail runs from the Moreno Valley Mall to Iris Avenue.
The historic 1,200-mile trail, which dates back to the 18th century, runs from the San Francisco Bay Area in the north to the Arizona/Mexico border in the south. The trail is named after Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish military leader who established one of the first non-native settlements in California.
APWA is the professional association of Public Works leaders throughout the United States and Canada, and its Southern California Chapter covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. The B.E.S.T. (Building Excellence in Safety, Transportation, and Infrastructure) award recognizes exceptional projects demonstrating excellence in construction, management, and administration.