Traffic on Fernbridge limited to one lane next week
Construction expected this summer on Fernbridge will take place through October. (Caltrans District 1/Contributed)
Caltrans will be applying covers to portions of Fernbridge to prevent birds and bats from nesting on the historic bridge. Fernbridge will have one-way traffic control next week from June 6 through June 8, with up to 10-minute delays. Construction will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Birds have been observed nesting on the bridge, which Caltrans wants to prevent because of construction that will begin this summer. Protected bird and bat species would be disturbed by the work.
“In some instances, we spray the bridge with biodegradable vegetable oil to make it too slick for the birds to make their nests,” said Myles Cochrane, public information officer for Caltrans in an email.
Cochrane said the construction will continue through October and involves scour countermeasures. Scour is the erosion of the bank around the structure.
Cochrane said the countermeasures involve cast-in-drilled-hole piles and the construction of a concrete collar around Pier 2.
Fernbridge was under one-way traffic control while work crews make repairs to the 112-year-old bridge. This followed a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in late December 2022 that damaged parts of the structure. Fernbridge passed inspection last week following a magnitude 5.4 earthquake off the coast on May 22.
Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.
