Project includes bike and pedestrian portal
The city of Healdsburg is preparing to close Memorial Bridge and has pushed back the official closure date from Aug. 18. City officials expect the bridge to close Aug. 25, though they are waiting for final paperwork approvals before work will begin.
“We want to be sure that when the bridge closes, there’s work taking place,” Assistant City Manager David Mickaelian said.
No soone than Monday, Aug. 25, the bridge will be closed to vehicles for more than a year while crews work to rehabilitate the aging span.
The complete seismic retrofitting and rehabilitation of the 93-year-old steel truss bridge will involve replacing the center-span pier, strengthening steel members and bridge abutments, replacing the pedestrian safety fencing, bridge deck, sidewalk and lead based paint and installing new vehicle barriers.
The $10 million project will be undertaken by Granite Construction Company.
Built in 1921, the historic bridge is an entryway to Healdsburg and an iconic image for the community. In 2010, the city initiated a project to rehabilitate the bridge and over the last four years has worked with project consultant Omni Means to develop a plan and specifications.
Until earlier this year it wasn’t clear whether the bridge would be closed to pedestrians and bicyclists as well as vehicular traffic during the closure, but when plans were finally approved in June, they included a bicycle and pedestrian portal that will allow people to travel by foot or bike across the bridge during construction.
The bridge will be closed 24-hours a day and according to the agreement.
