The expected two-year, $58 million Bear Valley Road Bridge Project over the Mojave River has begun.
The bridge, which connects Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville, will undergo widening and improvements, with an estimated completion of April 2028, Apple Valley Town officials stated.
The expected two-year, $58 million Bear Valley Road Bridge Project over the Mojave River has begun. The bridge, which connects Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville, will undergo widening and improvements.
The expected two-year, $58 million Bear Valley Road Bridge Project over the Mojave River has begun. The bridge, which connects Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville, will undergo widening and improvements.
The town announced this week that crews will begin temporary striping and installing K-rails, reducing the number of travel lanes from three to two in each direction.
The temporary lane configuration will remain in place for most of the project, with most of the work taking place at night to help minimize impacts, town officials stated.
The traffic signal at Bear Valley Road and Fish Hatchery Road in Victorville was scheduled to be placed on flash mode for a couple of hours on Feb. 12.
Originally constructed in 1963 and widened in 1988, the bridge has been one of the main roadways that has connected Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville.
The bridge project was born after a 2010 Caltrans inspection found the bridge deck, joints and foundation were “structurally deficient,” while narrow lanes and non-existent shoulders made it “functionally obsolete,” town officials stated.
The expected two-year, $58 million Bear Valley Road Bridge Project over the Mojave River has begun. The bridge, which connects Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville, will undergo widening and improvements.
The expected two-year, $58 million Bear Valley Road Bridge Project over the Mojave River has begun. The bridge, which connects Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville, will undergo widening and improvements.
What does the bridge project include?
The bridge project will address long-standing structural and safety concerns identified by Caltrans and bring the bridge into compliance with modern engineering and accessibility standards, town officials stated.
While the number of traffic lanes remaining at six, the new design will include full-width lanes, dedicated shoulders, a Class 1 protected bike path, sidewalks, upgraded lighting, and seismic reinforcements, all of which will significantly enhance safety and mobility for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
Town officials said the improvements and enhancements are made possible thanks to a mix of funding from federal, state, regional and local sources.