UPDATE On Oakville Crossroad Bridge Closure In Napa County

News from the County of Napa:

The Oakville Crossroad Bridge, over the Napa River between Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, remains closed after last week’s 4.1 magnitude earthquake caused the west abutment, the portion that holds up the west end of the bridge, to sink two to four inches.

The sinking further pulled apart old age cracks on the nearly 100-year-old bridge, exposing structural steel and creating an unsafe environment for vehicle traffic. The bridge was already scheduled for replacement due to its age and deteriorated condition. In the near term, bicycles and pedestrians may still use the bridge.

Attached are pictures of the damage.

• Pictures 1 and 2 show cracks from the perspective of standing on the bridge and looking down into the river. These are only a couple of the many enlarged cracks that have appeared.
• Picture 3 shows the west abutment has shifted. The cracking has become much more widespread and pronounced along the bridge deck and supporting girders. It is unclear how the structure would behave in a subsequent seismic event.

Napa County Public Works closed the bridge Friday following an inspection and recommendation from Caltrans. The bridge is set for a planned replacement beginning this summer. The plan at the time was to construct the new bridge in phases over two construction seasons, demolishing half the old bridge and building half the new bridge while maintaining one lane of the old bridge open for vehicle access during the first season.

• Previous: Oakville Cross Road Bridge In Napa Co. Closed Due To Recent Earthquake

Similarly, one lane of the new bridge would be open during the second season while the second half of the old bridge was demolished and construction of the second half of the new bridge occurred. The county has consulted with our bridge design engineers to reevaluate the construction plan and schedule based on the current situation. Although the option of maintaining vehicle access during construction no longer appears possible, we do believe we can accelerate the planned two-year schedule, as well as reduce the cost, by demolishing the old bridge in full and building the new bridge in one sequence.

At this time, the project completion timeframe and a reopening date of the bridge are under development. More details about the project schedule are anticipated in the next two to three weeks. The project contractor is Ghilotti Bros., Inc.

Properties east of the bridge can be accessed from Silverado Trail and properties west of the bridge can be accessed from Highway 29. Alternative routes include Yountville Crossroad to the south or Rutherford Road (Highway 128) to the north. Public Works is increasing and improving signage of the bridge closure on both Highway 29 and Silverado Trail to aid drivers and ensure project awareness.

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