Port of San Diego Helps Pave the Way for National City Segment of the Bayshore Bikeway

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The Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing the Port to enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National City to contribute a total of $2 million in grant matching funds to support the construction of Segment 5 of the Bayshore Bikeway in National City. This segment of the bikeway will provide a critical connection for the approximately 24-mile bike path around San Diego Bay that links the Port’s five member cities.

“The Bayshore Bikeway is a treasured waterfront amenity that enhances access to San Diego Bay and helps promote a healthy lifestyle for all,” said Chair Danielle Moore, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “We’re excited to support National City in the next step of this project, and we look forward to residents and visitors enjoying the completed bike path for years to come.”

The Bayshore Bikeway was originally planned by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and is being constructed in segments by various agencies as funding becomes available. The National City segment of the Bayshore Bikeway is approximately 1.4 miles, around 900 linear feet of which is on Port-managed tidelands.

“We are grateful to National City and SANDAG for helping keep this project moving forward,” said Commissioner GilAnthony Ungab, National City’s appointee to the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “Completion of this segment will not only connect the Bayshore Bikeway by filling a gap in the current bike path, but it will also better connect families to the National City Bayfront.”

"For years, National City has worked hard to secure the same kind of meaningful access to the waterfront that other cities around the bay enjoy," said National City Mayor Ron Morrison. "While it hasn’t always been an easy road, this project is an important step toward a healthier, more connected National City. By partnering with the Port of San Diego and SANDAG, we're investing in infrastructure that promotes active lifestyles, safer transportation, and greater access to our beautiful Bayfront. We look forward to continuing this progress not just for today, but for generations to come."

MOU and Funding Details

In 2024, the Board directed Port staff to earmark grant matching funds to support National City in pursuit of a grant for construction of this bikeway segment. In early 2025, National City was awarded $5.7 million by SANDAG to construct the National City segment of the Bayshore Bikeway, with a $2 million grant match from the Port. 

The MOU includes approved matching funds consisting of $600,000 from the Maritime Industrial Impact Fund (MIIF) for the portion of the bikeway that is off tidelands, and $1.4 million from the Port’s Grant Matching Reserves for the section of the bikeway that is on tidelands. 

The initial $600,000 payment from the MIIF is budgeted for in the Port’s fiscal year 2026 budget. The MIIF was established in 2010 to help offset the impacts of maritime industrial activities that take place on the Port-managed tidelands. In 2024, the Port increased its annual contribution to the fund to 4 percent of its annual gross maritime industrial revenue.

About the Bayshore Bikeway National City Segment

The development of the Bayshore Bikeway’s National City segment is part of the Port’s National City Bayfront project.

When complete, the Bayshore Bikeway will consist of a continuous Class 1 bike path that would allow bike riders to ride all the way around San Diego Bay on a dedicated path separate from city streets. The route starts at Broadway Pier and extends through the cities of San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and Coronado. 

National City anticipates awarding the construction contract for the National City segment at a city council meeting in September 2025.