SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Bids Sought for Widening of Bridge

The city is seeking bids for the widening of Rancho Viejo Road’s Trabuco Creek bridge.

As projected in the city’s master plan, the 25-year-old, two-lane bridge, originally built by Caltrans, will be widened to four lanes with a median and space for a bicycle path. The 211-foot-long bridge is located near Rosenbaum Road in the northern part of the city.

When completed, the bridge will be 84 feet wide between curbs, and Rancho Viejo Road will be four lanes all the way to Junipero Serra Road, according to Tom Lynch, a consultant for the city.

The project will also include remodeling a small section of the county bicycle trail that runs along Trabuco Creek beneath the bridge. The trail is part of the county master plan of trails and winds up at Doheny State Beach.

Lynch estimates that the new bridge will cost about $1.8 million. The city has set an eight-month deadline for completion of the project. Sealed bids are due by 2 p.m. March 15.

Concurrently, the city is seeking a state grant to build an equestrian bridge next to the new Trabuco Creek bridge, Lynch said. State officials have indicated that $90,000 has been added to the state budget for the equestrian bridge but the money has not been allocated, Lynch said.