|
August
2008 | by Mark
Whitehead
 The
seismic retrofit
and renovation
of the historic
bridge at our
southern border
is expected to
begin during
the second half
of 2009. Full
funding for the
project,
the most costly
in the City's
history, is expected
from federal
and
state sources.
According to
David Scherer,
Del Mar's Director
of Public Works,
the City Council
will likely be
presented with
the project's
Environmental
Impact Report
this fall. The
environmental
process, fortunately,
is somewhat simplified
because replacement
of the bridge
is no longer
being considered,
and retrofitting
the existing
structure is comparatively
modest in any
impacts to the
environment.
Thus, the project
enjoys a "Categorical
Exclusion" designation
from the federal
government, and
a MND, mitigated
negative declaration,
from CEQA, the
California Environmental
Quality Act.
During
the past year
the results
from extensive
testing of the
bridge, e.g.,
boring to look
at salt intrusion
and structural
soundness,
have been evaluated
by Caltrans.
Planning for
staging traffic
during construction,
and staging
construction
equipment,
including the
use of the state's
parking lot,
is underway.
The details
of engineering
design are nearly
done. Del Mar's
success in garnering
support for
rehabilitation
over replacement
has resulted
from many years
of diligent
work by city
staff, most
recently David
Scherer, and
the council,
most recently
bridge subcommittee
members Druker
and Crawford.
The money to
fully fund this
project was
freed up after
the tragic
Minnesota bridge
collapse. But
the money is
finite and will
go to projects
that are "fully
designed and reviewed,
ready to go",
according to
Scherer. Our bridge,
compared to other
projects in California
, is near the
head of the line
for funding thanks
to long-term
and careful planning.
Mark
Whitehead is a
former Mayor of
Del Mar.
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