Countywide : 4 Bridges Picked for Quake Fortification

The California Department of Transportation has identified four bridges in the unincorporated area of the county that should be strengthened to better withstand earthquakes.

However, Ventura County officials will decide whether improvements will be made.

The bridges are located at the Ventura River at Casitas Vista Road northwest of Ventura, Calleguas Creek at Hueneme Road near Point Mugu, Coyote Creek at Santa Ana Road in the Ojai Valley and the Santa Clara River at South Mountain Road northeast of Ventura.

The total cost for the bridge improvements was estimated at $978,000--the most expensive being the Santa Clara River bridge at $575,000. The work would involve installing cables to prevent the bridge from falling off the abutments during an earthquake.

New legislation in the wake of the Oct. 17, 1989, earthquake near San Francisco calls for the identification of bridges statewide that need renovation. Ventura County was among four governmental agencies selected for a pilot program to implement the improvements before they are done statewide.

The Legislature appropriated funds for the statewide improvements, but the money is far less than what is required, according to a county public works agency report given to the Board of the Supervisors on Tuesday. The work may require a 30% match of local funds, according to a report by Al F. Knuth, deputy director of public works.

Knuth said Caltrans is letting local officials decide whether to proceed with the work. His office will evaluate the risk for the four bridges first and evaluate cost estimates.

Ken Gordon, principal engineer with the transportation department, said all the bridges except the one over Calleguas Creek have low traffic volumes. The four were picked, he said, because of their age and their proximity to areas vulnerable to earthquake damage.