Cal Trans set for Pudding Creek bridge project

FORT BRAGG, CA » Cal Trans District 1 announced that a proposed upgrade to the Pudding Creek Bridge is scheduled to begin this summer. The Fort Bragg Public Works Department reviewed the plans with the City Council in February of 2020. According to Cal Trans, The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has confirmed the allocation of approximately $11.7 million for the Pudding Creek Bridge Widening and Rail Upgrade Project to “improve safety for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.” The purpose is to create a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly bridge on State Route 1 in Fort Bragg.

Along this portion of the highway, at the northern edge of Fort Bragg, a restaurant, some businesses, hardware, and lumber store, a drive-in hamburger spot, a market, and a gas station add to the number of people coming and going. On the eastern, opposite side, just north of the bridge, the highway intersects with Pudding Creek Road. A motel sits at that juncture. A little farther north, on either side of the highway, four popular, beachfront motels sit close to the trestle bridge, adding to the steady traffic flow.

The narrow highway bridge spans Pudding Creek and borders popular beach areas frequently visited by locals and tourists. The Coastal Trail lies off the western, ocean side of the bridge, heading north toward Mc Kerricher State Park. Part of the trail, the Pudding Creek Trestle Footbridge, a popular photo spot, crosses the creek just yards away from the highway. Cyclists and pedestrians routinely use the trail most days of the week. Just to the south, beachcombers scour the renowned Glass Beach for polished glass pieces.

Farther south, the Old Haul Road runs parallel to the trail, leading tourists and locals, on foot or on bicycle, north across the trestle bridge, and into the state park. Tourists seasonally flock here for seal and whalewatching opportunities. Further south, the Coastal Trail provides easy access to the old mill runway and the location of the Crow’s Nest, an interpretive center operated by the Noyo Center for Marine Science. Over