SPECIAL REPORT: The state of Santa Cruz County’s bridges

UPDATE 11/19/15 6:20 PM: Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers grades our country’s infrastructure. In the most recent report card dating to 2013, the country received a C+ when it comes to bridges. Now as we’ve hit the midpoint between report cards, NewsChannel 5 decided to take a look at the state of Santa Cruz’s bridges.

According to the ASCE, there are 232 bridges in Santa Cruz County. In 2013, 42% were reported to have some concerns. 26 were labeled “structurally deficient,” meaning they don’t meet current codes. Another 72 were considered “functionally obsolete.” Those bridges just can’t handle today’s traffic. NewsChannel 5 asked city and county officials about the bridges they’re most concerned about.

The Murray Street Bridge over the Yacht Harbor in Santa Cruz carried 20,000 cars a day. A recent inspection in September didn’t find any issues. While Joshua Spangrud, the senior civil engineer for the City of Santa Cruz, says it’s safe, it’s also the bridge he’s most concerned about, because it hasn’t been seismically upgraded since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

“It’s not likely to fall down anytime soon and it’s in pretty good shape but it doesn’t meet the current seismic design codes,” Spangrud said. “So I’m hesitant to say it’ll ride out another similar sized earthquake, I mean, that’s what these upgrades are meant to prevent.”

There are plans to upgrade. This bridge is due for a retrofit and widening to allow for more cars and more space for pedestrians and cyclists. Budgets aren’t the only thing holding the project back.

“It’s fairly complicated right of way process,” Spangrud explained. “There are tenants underneath the bridge and businesses and we have to coordinate with the county and with the port, so some of that optimism is awaiting right now. We hope to get it into construction within the next year or so. But it may be pushed out. It’s been pushed out plenty of times in the past.”

There’s another bridge the city is worried about, but it’s owned by Caltrans. Money is also an issue for the bridge over the San Lorenzo River on Highway 1 near River Street. While that bridge is seismically up to speed, functionally it falls behind.

“The main concern that we have is the amount of traffic that goes over the bridge,” explained Caltrans Project Manager Luis Duazo, “It really should be wider. It should have seven lanes on the bridge for future traffic so that would be the only reason we would replace the bridge. The bridge is sound seismically and hydraulically so we would just be increasing the number of lanes on the top.”

Caltrans says until funds are committed, it’s just another project waiting in limbo. A county-owned one-lane bridge in Watsonville is also in limbo.

The bridge on Casserly near Smith Road doesn’t qualify for federal funds. It doesn’t need retrofitting, it needs to be replaced. It could cost between $600-700,000. The county may turn to local businesses to help cover the costs.

“We’re also going to talk to the farmers out there,” said Santa Cruz County Public Works Director John Presleigh. “Maybe they can assist. Cause I know, they’ve contacted me about this bridge and it’s a problem for them down to one lane.”

Longtime resident Krey Clifton agrees it’s a problem that needs addressing.

“People go through that, and we’ve got all the agriculture people coming through, all the workers coming through, it’s just creating a problem right there,” Clifton said.

In the meantime, the county is replacing a wooden bridge in Ben Lomond. The deck was poured just days ago. It’s one of ten bridges the county hopes to replace over the next 10-15 years.

The Federal Highway Administration mandates that all bridges be inspected every four years. Caltrans does it every two to four, depending on high or low risk. Individual agencies, however, do it routinely.

ORIGINAL POST:

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers grades our country’s infrastructure. In the most recent report card dating to 2013, the country received a C+ when it comes to bridges. Now as we’ve hit the midpoint between report cards, NewsChannel 5 decided to take a look at the state of Santa Cruz’s bridges.

According to the ASCE, there are 232 bridges in Santa Cruz County. In 2013, 42% were reported to have some concerns. 26 were labeled “structurally deficient,” meaning they don’t meet current codes. Another 72 were considered “functionally obsolete.” Those bridges just can’t handle today’s traffic.

NewsChannel 5 asked city and county officials about the bridges they’re most concerned about. Hear what they have to say tonight on NewsChannel 5 at 6.