Caltrans outlines Jack Peters Creek Bridge widening project
MENDOCINO, CA » On April 7, Caltrans held a Virtual Open House for the Jack Peters Creek Bridge Widening and Rail Upgrade Project. This meeting presented information and answered questions about the Jack Peters Creek project. Many of the public attended, with the staff answering 58 written questions and many more in-person concerns.
The project intends to bring Jack Peters Creek Bridge up to current design standards by widening the existing structure to accommodate two 12-foot lanes, two six-foot-wide shoulders, and a six-foot-wide pedestrian walkway. The project will also upgrade the railings.
Currently, the bridge’s shoulder width is one foot on each side. These shoulders don’t provide enough room for disabled vehicles, pedestrians, or bicycles. The railings are also too low and don’t comply with current safety standards.
This project is anticipated to take 305 working days over two construction seasons. However, there will be a maximum of 205 working days where there will be one-lane traffic, using traffic flaggers, over the bridge. The maximum delay during onelane traffic is 15 to 25 minutes.
There will also be full bridge closures. These bridge closures will happen between 10 pm and 6 am, from Sunday through Thursday. This would leave Friday and Saturday open for travelers to get through for the high tourist season. Caltrans expects a maximum of 31 periods of full bridge closures.
The public will be warned seven days in advance by road signs about the closures. There will also be notices on social media and public service radio.
Caltrans will be working closely with the local emergency responders during construction to accommodate emergency vehicles. However, there is no guarantee that there won’t be a delay.
Caltrans is working with biologists to lessen the environmental impacts. Animals such as raptors, bats, and the Sonoma tree vole would be particularly protected, while other surveying and monitoring measures would be enacted. Caltrans also would have a revegetation plan developed. The project would replant the area with native species and may include removing invasive plants.
The Caltrans news release, dated April 4, states the “…6foot wide separated pedestrian walkway on the west side of the widened structure that will link the segment of the California Coastal Trail from County Road 5000 to Lansing Drive.” However, during the meeting, Caltrans stated they were only building the walkway on the bridge and not linking it to the Coastal Trail.
Many public members voiced their concerns that they’d rather have the walkway connected to the trail and not simply be a disconnected sidewalk. However, according to Frank Demling, a Caltrans project manager, that is not within this project’s scope. He encouraged the public to speak with the county and the board of supervisors on this issue.
Caltrans is working with several agencies, such as the National Marine Fishery Service, NOAA, the Department of Fish and Wildlife North Coast region, the Water Quality Control Board, the Army Corps Engineers, and the California Coastal
Commission. However, no permits or approvals have been obtained.
There will be more public meetings and public comments, such as virtual meetings every quarter, a special meeting before the Coastal Commission, and meetings during construction. Informational postcards will be mailed to interested parties. The information can also be found on the Caltrans webpage.