Some two decades after the Crystal Springs Dam Bridge was first imagined, those hoping to catch another glimpse of the Peninsula Watershed and access miles of recreational trails will finally be able to do so once it opens for the first time to pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers Jan. 11.
Plans to reopen a scenic stretch of Skyline Boulevard near the bridge’s location where the Crystal Springs Reservoir meets the San Mateo Creek have been in the works for years as the San Mateo County Public Works and Parks departments have coordinated with other agencies to reinstate the road atop the spillway, realign the approaches to it and create a new route several feet higher than it was before.
Though several aspects of the project have been complete for years, crews in the last two months or so have been reviewing the security of the protected watershed and installing fencing to establish a perimeter around the dam structure and the reservoir storing drinking water for millions of Bay Area residents, said Public Works Director Jim Porter.
Acknowledging the complexity of a project requiring coordination among several agencies and sensitivity to the reservoir’s functions and environment, Porter looked to the project’s completion to benefit those expected to travel through the area in the years to come.
“These are career projects, you do these things once in a lifetime,” he said, noting the bridge is expected to last for 75 to 100 years. “I think we’ve done something very, very good for the community.”
In the many years since the project began, Porter said work on the bridge had to be integrated with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s project to increase the capacity of the reservoir behind the Crystal Springs Dam as well as an effort on behalf of Pacific Gas and Electric to underground a high voltage overhead power line connecting power sources in the Peninsula to those in San Francisco. Porter added crews also had to be careful no debris fell into a critical piece of the region’s water infrastructure throughout construction as well as ensure endangered species in the area were protected.
“Getting all those projects to coordinate and be seamless was somewhat of a challenge,” he said. “Working in that area is somewhat difficult in that you cannot allow any of the debris to fall into the reservoir.”
Before work on the bridge could start, county planners coordinated with SFPUC officials working to more than double the capacity of the spillway in compliance with new state and federal standards, a project completed in 2012 to the tune of $35 million, according to the utility previously. In the last year, PG&E crews have been working to relocate high-voltage transmission lines previously supported by towers placed on either side of the bridge to another location under it, an area Porter said officials have also been working to keep secure.
Even with delays, Porter said the bridge project, which he estimated to cost between $13 million and $14 million, cost only a little more than officials previously predicted, which he said is consistent with most major construction projects.
County Parks spokeswoman Carla Schoof said the opening will also coincide with the opening of the South of Dam Trail, a path designed for pedestrians and bicyclists which she said will extend south of the bridge by about a mile. She noted some of the finishing touches on the project, which included fencing to delineate the paths for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers were also aimed at ensuring visitors’ safety on the thoroughfares themselves, and pegged the trail segments to open as among the most picturesque vantage points along the watershed.
“It really allows people that access to almost the sweet spot of that area in terms of view,” she said. “It’s just a really great spot to stop and take in the trail and then look to the west and take in the watershed.”
(4) comments
Would have been great to include a map showing how the new portion integrated into the existing route.
It’s about time. This project is five years behind schedule and apparently no one is accountable for the delay, yet Jim Porter seems all too eager to take a bow and talk about what a great job they’ve done. These guys are jokers. I will be glad to see it reopen and would be more glad to see someone lose their job over this fiasco.
They are government “workers.”
They are not accountable for anything.
A "career" project for sure....
On a similar note, why isn't the Pulgas Water Temple open on weekends?
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