San Jose Creek to See New Bridges, Bike Path

Comments Due for State Route 217 Bridge Replacement

The San Jose Creek Bridge at State Route 217 is slated for an update that includes the ability to raise it as sea-level rise occurs; public comment is due May 27. | Credit: Courtesy

Caltrans plans to rebuild the half-mile bridge over San Jose Creek on State Route 217 after a recent inspection revealed deterioration and multiple cracks caused by reactive elements in concrete that swell over time. The bridge’s shoulder widths are also no longer up to standard.

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The proposed replacement bridge will be wider, and it will include new structures that enable Caltrans to raise the bridge’s height as ocean levels rise. Costs for the rebuild — which is scheduled to finish in December 2024 — add up to around $20 million.

Members of the public have until May 27 to submit environmental comments for the project, which they can send to Caltrans at 50 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, Attn: Senior Environmental Planner Matt Fowler; also, matt.fowler@dot.ca.gov or (805) 542-4603. The environmental impact document can be found on the bridge’s project page.

Caltrans plans to coordinate this construction project — along with another one replacing the San Jose Creek Bridge on Highway 101 — with Goleta’s plan to construct a three-mile bicycle and pedestrian path along the creek. This new bike path would fill gaps between existing paths, allowing bikers and pedestrians to travel through the length of the city and out to surrounding areas. The bike path project is still in its early design and planning stages.

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