By Khalida Sarwari
The California Department of Transportation is in the process of replacing a 115-year-old double arch bridge on Highway 9 that has been deemed seismically unsafe.
Caltrans plans to replace the Saratoga Creek Bridge on Highway 9 between Sanborn and Deer Path roads due to seismic and structural deficiencies, according to Bernard Walik, a Caltrans spokesman. Details of the proposed project were put on display at a scoping meeting on April 21 at the Saratoga Prospect Center.
The new bridge would be constructed either south or north of the existing bridge or on the same alignment. The Saratoga Bridge Creek is a two-span, earth-filled concrete arch bridge, with rubble masonry spandrel walls that appear to be separating from the rest of the bridge structure. The bridge was constructed in 1902 and is about 165 feet long, 24 feet wide and has an average height of 40 feet. An inspection in 2004 and 2011 determined that the bridge is in need of mitigation if it is expected to continue providing reliable traffic service.
The Saratoga Creek Bridge project will be done in three phases. Caltrans is in the environmental phase of the project, which entails determining which studies need to be done as well as developing feasible alternatives, studying their possible impacts and then choosing a single alternative, said Walik.
During this phase, both traffic and environmental impacts will be be investigated, he said, although “it is too early to indicate what the impacts will be until more information is gathered.”
It does appear, though, that the proposed work may have an impact on nearby historic properties that are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, according to Caltrans.
The next phase of the project is the “specifications and estimates” phase, where Caltrans will refine the project design and make land purchases if the project calls for obtaining additional property. The final phase is the construction phase, which is expected to begin in the winter of 2020.
The project is estimated to cost between $15 million and $30 million, and it would be funded through the bridge preservation category within the State Highway Operation and Protection Program.
Caltrans plans to conduct additional informational meetings in the near future, Walik said. A tentative date for the next public meeting has been set for spring of 2017. At that point, the draft environmental document will be circulated to the public and stakeholder agencies and they’ll have an opportunity to provide feedback to Caltrans.
To learn more about the project, visit bit.ly/SaratogaCreekBridge. The agency is soliciting input from the public up until May 20. Residents are invited to submit their comments in writing by email to SaratogaCreekBridge@dot.ca.gov or by mail to Caltrans, Attn: Noray-Ann Spradling, 111 Grand Ave., MS 8-B, Oakland, CA 94612.
Link: 115-year-old bridge on Highway 9 is unsafe and needs to be replaced
