Local Bridges Earmarked for Federal Fixit Funds

A Castro Valley bridge is among those that might be getting updated with federal help from the trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure deal recently signed by President Biden.

Congressman Eric Swalwell came to the Washington Avenue bridge over San Lorenzo Creek last Friday to say that aid to fix aging Bay Area highway bridges and other infrastructure would be arriving soon. The press event at the bridge marks the San Leandro—San Lorenzo border and is crossed by 31,000 vehicles a day. The overcrossing might be on the list, Swalwell said. 

But a bridge in Castro Valley is also on the same list Swalwell’s office is looking at. Caltrans and local officials will make the final decisions.

California is expected to get a $4.2 billion cut of Biden’s infrastructure funds to fix and improve some of its bridges, Swalwell said. 

The Washington Avenue bridge was built in 1954. It is considered structurally deficient by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, as is the bridge on Grove Way just south of I-580.  

Just because a bridge is on the list of possible improvements, doesn’t mean it is in immediate danger of collapse, though, said Josh Richman, Swalwell senior advisor.

The Grove Way bridge, built in 1988, carries approximately 31,000 vehicles a day including local traffic and vehicles that cut across south Castro Valley to head eastbound on the freeway or northeast onto Crow Canyon Boulevard.

The Builders Association list of structurally deficient bridges list also includes the I-238 eastbound bridge over East 14th Street, which carries 121,000 vehicles a day, and the I-580 eastbound bridge over East Castro Valley Boulevard, which carries 84,000 a day. 

The East Castro Valley Boulevard bridge may not see fresh federal funding for repairs, however, as Caltrans recently announced repairs to the I-580 bridge, Richman said.

There are problems with other bridges, too, the Builders Association says.

The builder’s website lists dozens of other highway bridges in the area that are classified as structurally deficient.

“This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition,” the website added.

Swalwell noted that in addition to being where San Leandro meets San Lorenzo, the Washington Avenue bridge also marks the boundary between his 15th Congressional district and the 13th District, represented by Barbara Lee.

He said he and Lee are working closely together to use the federal funds to get as much of the local infrastructure fixed as possible. 

He also said he is working with other area Congressional representatives to get funding for regional infrastructure needs, notably the Valley Link rail project across the Altamont Pass.

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