Murrieta Bridge Poses 'Clear, Imminent' Danger

MURRIETA, CA — Strong winter storms have rendered a bridge in Murrieta "structurally deficient for fire truck access," according to city documents.

During the March 18 Murrieta City Council meeting, the Hayes Avenue Bridge emergency is scheduled to be publicly discussed.

According to city documents, the bridge that crosses over Miller Canyon Creek between Ivy and B streets was found to have a pothole in its deck. The Feb. 6 discovery was made after winter storms blew through the area.

The bridge was closed and evaluated by Temecula-based Michael Baker International, which determined the overcrossing is "structurally deficient for fire truck access and needs to be replaced."

In a draft resolution to be discussed during Tuesday night's council meeting, the city seeks to declare an emergency so it can urgently replace the bridge without putting the project out to bid.

" ... this unexpected occurrence poses a clear and imminent danger requiring immediate action to allow the City to continue providing fire truck access to all of its residents, which is an essential public service ...," according to the draft resolution.

There are no as-built records for the single 15-foot span bridge, according to documents from Michael Baker.

Just east of Old Town Murrieta, the general area where the bridge is located is home to some of the region's historic buildings.

What is known about the bridge is that it's a timber girder superstructure with wood decking, approximately 24 feet wide, supported on a seat-type concrete abutment, according to Michael Baker.

The existing decking and girders are in poor condition, and replacements were considered, but once completed, the bridge would still be structurally insufficient to accommodate heavy trucks, according to Michael Baker.

"For this reason, Michael Baker recommends the complete demolition and replacement of the existing bridge with a Reinforced Concrete Box (RCB) or alternative structure," according to city documents.

The total cost to replace the bridge is unclear, though ballpark numbers could be discussed on Tuesday. The investigation process has already cost $15,905.92. The price tag for engineering and environmental work — a first step in replacing the bridge — is estimated at approximately $73,675, according to city documents. Once the engineering and environmental work is complete, construction could begin as early as late May.

Tuesday's 6 p.m. City Council meeting takes place at 1 Town Square. See the full meeting agenda here.