Iconic California Incline Bridge In Santa Monica Set For Year-Long Closure
SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) — One of the Southland's major thoroughfares from the beach to the Westside will be closed for more than a year starting next week.
The California Incline bridge between Ocean Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway is scheduled to be fully closed in both directions beginning April 20 and will not open to the public until sometime in spring 2016, according to Santa Monica city officials.
Crews will demolish the bridge to construct a new one that meets with current seismic standards by enhancing the stability of the bluff directly adjacent to the bridge, along with adding about five and a half feet to its width, City Manager's Office spokeswoman Debbie Lee said.
A 16-foot wide separated bicycle and pedestrian walkway will also be included on the new structure, according to Lee.
The incline extends a distance of approximately 1,400 feet from the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues at the top of the Palisades bluffs to PCH at the base of the bluffs, according to the city's website.
The bridge portion of the incline will be about 750 feet long and is made of an 8-inch concrete slab supported by concrete floor beams, officials said.
Drivers are encouraged to use suggested temporary detour routes on Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard during the closure.
An iconic symbol in Santa Monica, the California Incline was last renovated in 1930, Lee said.
The project's estimated $20 million cost will be primarily funded by the federal Highway Bridge Program (HPB), according to officials.
