Caltrans started work on replacing bolts on the Albion River Bridge this week, with no timetable yet announced for how long the project will take.
Caltrans is taking some extra measures to prevent the traffic snarls and angry Albion residents that emerged during last year”s painting of the nearby Salmon Creek Bridge.
Caltrans is planning to replace both bridges. The weakness of the Salmon Creek Bridge is that it is steel and requires constant painting, but wasn”t engineered for painting. The weakness of the Albion River Bridge is the bolts that connect the World War II-era wooden timbers to the deck above and the steel structure below.
“We recognize that traffic control is a real concern for the residents and we wanted to assure you that there will not be delays as there was during last summer”s bridge painting operation,” said Frank Demling, Caltrans” project manager on the Albion River Bridge.
“The bridge maintenance supervisor, Jason Hayes, let me know that the bridge maintenance crew will be using the UBIT [see YouTube video below] to install the cables for the scaffolding motors and then to reach as many bolts as possible while it is on site. Jason has assured me that there will not be any lengthy holdups for the travelling public and that traffic delays would be 10 minutes, at a maximum, usually much shorter,” Demling told Albion residents and other locals to whom he has reached out by email.
In the past Caltrans has not made this type of communication effort.
The actual work that bridge maintenance will perform started Monday, April 7. The maintenance crew will be moving sand away from the wood structure and clearing access (routine maintenance) then, when all needed equipment is in place, they will begin the bolt replacement project, Demling said.
“They will be replacing all unsound bolts and cleaning up and repainting those they can. Jason also shared that many of the bolts were replaced not that long ago and should be fine,” Demling said.
Demling encourages those with questions about the bridge projects to connect with him by phone, 707-445-6554, or email Demling, Frank C@DOT frank.demling@dot.ca.gov.
See YouTube video.
