SANTA CRUZ — After years of stops and starts, the Murray Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit and Barrier replacement project in Santa Cruz is underway and will begin to affect traffic next month.
The Murray Street Bridge passes over the Santa Cruz Harbor and connects East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz to Live Oak spanning Woods Lagoon. The structure provides an alternative route for local drivers trying to avoid Highway 1 and Soquel Avenue, which are highly trafficked and congested during commuting hours.
According to a statement from the city of Santa Cruz Public Works Department released Friday, the state-mandated infrastructure project, which improves the bridge’s earthquake resilience, will be completed in partnership with Shimmick Construction Co. Inc. tentatively by January 2028.
Commuters should take note that the bridge will be reduced to a one-way for eastbound vehicle and bike traffic only, beginning in early March. Westbound traffic, heading into the city of Santa Cruz, will be detoured around the bridge. The city warns that commuters should expect delays and map alternative routes across town.
Pedestrians will be allowed to cross the bridge with two-way temporary paths established for foot and bike traffic. At various stages in the project, full lane closures are expected, which will be marked by signage and communicated in advance to the public.
Alongside bolstering the bridge against seismic activity, the pedestrian walkway and bike lanes will be expanded. According to the statement, the bike lanes will be 6 feet wide. A two-way walkway will be established on the ocean-facing, south side of the bridge and will be 7.5 feet across. The solid concrete barriers along the bridge will be replaced with barrier rails that pedestrians can look through.
Until early 2028, construction work on the bridge will be done on the weekdays between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and with occasional weekend work occurring when needed. The construction activity will include pile driving, excavation and heavy equipment operation, which will generate noise.
According to the city’s statement, contractors will implement dust control measures to reduce airborne particles. Wildlife protections have been established, which include bat roosting surveys, nesting bird surveys and fish habitat monitoring to minimize ecological impact.
The construction project was delayed several times over the years due to design constraints and funding challenges. Murray Street Bridge is the last bridge in the city of Santa Cruz to still require a seismic retrofit as the others were completed in the early 2000s.
For information and to register for traffic updates, visit cityofsantacruz.com/msb.
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel
