LAKEWOOD : One of the Last Timber Bridges to Come Down
One of the last timber bridges in urban Los Angeles County will be reduced to a pile of scrap wood later this year.
The county plans to replace a 54-foot-long wooden span on Clark Avenue across Del Amo Creek with a new structure of steel and concrete. The old bridge was built in 1952 when wood was the most economical material, officials said.
Only about 40 timber bridges remain in the county and most of them are in mountain and rural areas, said Donna Guyovich, spokeswoman for the county Department of Public Works.
The bridges are gradually being replaced because they are susceptible to fire, she said.
“It’s structurally sound,” Lakewood spokesman Donald J. Waldie said of the Clark Avenue bridge. “It’s not in danger of collapse. It just needs to be replaced. Steel-and-concrete bridges are more durable and require less maintenance. We’ve been eager to see it replaced for some time.”
The county is soliciting construction bids for the bridge replacement and plans to award a contract in May. Work is scheduled to begin in June and be completed in November.
Although the county will oversee the estimated $500,000 project, the federal government will provide 80% of the funding and Lakewood will pay 20%.
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