The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors has unanimously adopted plans for electrical and mechanical repairs for four movable span bridges within the county.
Movable span bridges are ones that can move or change positions to accommodate the passing of boats and ships that would not be able to pass under the bridge due to its height.
The county Department of Public Works said the repairs and replacements were needed due to the ages and conditions of the bridges and are aiming to begin the project by next October.
The bridges included for the project will be Tracy Boulevard over Grant Line Canal, Eight Mile Road over Bishop Cut, Bacon Island Road over Middle River, and Eight Mile Road over Honker Cut, all of which serve the public on the roads and waterways.
The bridge located over Honker Cut is the oldest bridge being fixed at 84 years old, while the Tracy bridge is 61 years old, and the other two bridges are 24 and 35 years old.
According to a presentation posted on the county’s Public Works website, the project is vital because although the bridges are still safe to travel on, with time the machinery and electrical elements become prone to increased malfunctions and maintenance costs.
Roadways will remain open during construction with at least one lane with two-way traffic control, but the bridges will be fixed in the “closed position” during construction.
Bids by companies interested in the project will be accepted until Nov. 9, according to the county.
Victoria Franco is a reporter based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. She is a Report for America corps member.
