City of Irvine's "Know Before You Go" trail signs
With warmer weather and longer days on the way, outdoor enthusiasts throughout Orange County are gearing up to hit the trails to enjoy the fresh air and natural beauty. However, with fluctuating weather, it’s imperative to know which trails are accessible, and what items you should carry with you before beginning your outdoor adventure.
At each trailhead throughout the City of Irvine’s (COI) trail system in the Irvine Ranch Open Space is a series of helpful “Know Before You Go” signs. These signs come in a variety of shapes and colors to grab your attention and provide important reminders, like carrying a sufficient amount of water with you in the heat. IRC’s Planning and Infrastructure team, led by Director Adam Maywhort, is responsible for maintaining these signs and gates, as well as designing, building and maintaining the comprehensive network of trails, roads, bridges, and anything else the public interacts with when on the land.
At each trailhead throughout the City of Irvine’s (COI) trail system in the Irvine Ranch Open Space is a series of helpful “Know Before You Go” signs. These signs come in a variety of shapes and colors to grab your attention and provide important reminders, like carrying a sufficient amount of water with you in the heat. IRC’s Planning and Infrastructure team, led by Director Adam Maywhort, is responsible for maintaining these signs and gates, as well as designing, building and maintaining the comprehensive network of trails, roads, bridges, and anything else the public interacts with when on the land.
The Planning and Infrastructure team has to quickly respond to any challenges that arise due to weather and other unexpected events, as well as making sure that anyone attempting to use the trails is aware of the current conditions. As weather and trail conditions can shift quickly and without warning, having this system of reliable signage in place is crucial for public safety.
For this reason, the Planning and Infrastructure team has implemented new “flip signs” that provide clear messaging while remaining visible on trail gates, whether they are open or closed. These gates and signs are especially helpful throughout the City of Irvine’s trail system as the area has a colander-like shape, with many access points that lead down into areas where water can pool and affect trail quality and visibility.
All of these access points now have high quality gates that can be closed and locked with flip signs notifying visitors of the temporary closure. These physical barriers are necessary as the public would often pass by the older gates that might have been ajar with a “closed” sign that was hard to notice. With public safety as the primary concern and reason for these clear gates and signage, this also reduces the frequency of first responders having to access the trails by truck or helicopter, causing further damage.
Having this system in place also allows for the Planning and Infrastructure team to close specific areas to make repairs while keeping the rest of the trail system open to the public. The team is now on its third round of updating trail signage throughout COI’s Irvine Ranch open space and the signs have been well-received as part of a larger “Know Before You Go” campaign encouraging responsible planning and preparation before visiting the trails.
To learn more about the Planning and Infrastructure team and the essential work they do, visit IRConservancy.org, LetsGoOutside.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For this reason, the Planning and Infrastructure team has implemented new “flip signs” that provide clear messaging while remaining visible on trail gates, whether they are open or closed. These gates and signs are especially helpful throughout the City of Irvine’s trail system as the area has a colander-like shape, with many access points that lead down into areas where water can pool and affect trail quality and visibility.
All of these access points now have high quality gates that can be closed and locked with flip signs notifying visitors of the temporary closure. These physical barriers are necessary as the public would often pass by the older gates that might have been ajar with a “closed” sign that was hard to notice. With public safety as the primary concern and reason for these clear gates and signage, this also reduces the frequency of first responders having to access the trails by truck or helicopter, causing further damage.
Having this system in place also allows for the Planning and Infrastructure team to close specific areas to make repairs while keeping the rest of the trail system open to the public. The team is now on its third round of updating trail signage throughout COI’s Irvine Ranch open space and the signs have been well-received as part of a larger “Know Before You Go” campaign encouraging responsible planning and preparation before visiting the trails.
To learn more about the Planning and Infrastructure team and the essential work they do, visit IRConservancy.org, LetsGoOutside.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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