SLO County bridge will be demolished and replaced over the next 5 months
A bridge replacement project will start construction next week in northern San Luis Obispo County, slowing traffic on a stretch of El Camino Real between Santa Margarita and Atascadero through November 2024.
According to a news release from the San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Works, work will start Monday, May 13, to replace the El Camino Real bridge spanning Santa Margarita Creek.
The bridge being replaced has “reached the end of its useful life” and will be replaced by a structure with a new center turn lane and wider paved shoulders for vehicle and bike safety, according to the release.
A left-turn lane will also be part of the improvement work at the intersection of Asuncion Road and Santa Margarita Road, and parts of roads near the bridge will see some reconstruction, according to the release.
First, a temporary detour bridge adjacent to the current bridge will be built over the next month, where traffic will be diverted at 15 mph, according to the release.
Reduced speeds and construction delays of up to 10 minutes should be expected through November, the release said.
The existing bridge then will be demolished and fully replaced, with the temporary bridge slated for removal in fall of 2024 when the new bridge opens.
Part of the Nacimiento Water Pipeline from the existing bridge will be relocated to the bridge replacement, the release said.
Souza Construction will handle the $6.9 million project, which was funded by the Federal Highway Administration through grant funding administered by Caltrans and local sources, according to the release.
John Lynch: (805) 781-7812, @WritesLynch