Temecula's Public Works crew finished a new paved pathway connecting Old Town to the creekside trail at the end of 3rd Street, the city announced Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The pathway gives pedestrians a direct route between Old Town shops and restaurants and the trail running alongside the creek. The city said the connection means visitors can reach different destinations on 3rd Street without driving.

Patch first reported the project's completion.

$2.4 million sidewalk project up next

The city is also moving ahead with a larger pedestrian upgrade nearby. The Mercedes Street Sidewalk project carries a $2.4 million budget, according to the city's Capital Improvement Program budget. It will fill a missing stretch of sidewalk on the west side of Mercedes Street, from Main Street to a point about 160 feet south of 3rd Street.

The project will also add crosswalks at 3rd Street and a potential mid-block crosswalk linking the southern end of the new sidewalk to the nearby parking structure.

New sidewalks will follow Old Town design standards: colored concrete, decorative lampposts and trees. The finished walkway will provide ADA-compliant access on the west side of Mercedes Street, the budget document states.

Funding and timeline

Two sources fund the project: $1.75 million from Measure S, the city's local sales tax measure, and $650,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money.

Design work began in December 2025. The city filed a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) notice of exemption for the project on June 15, classifying it under existing-facilities rules. All work falls within the current right-of-way, according to state CEQA records.

The city's project status page, updated as of July 22, estimates construction will start in mid-2027. Final costs could exceed the $2.4 million budget depending on bids.