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Big Bear Bridge Groundbreaking Today (Update)

FCI Constructors Poised to Begin Construction

By Michael P. Neufeld
Thursday, March 5, 2009

Update - Thursday 3:55 a.m.

Big Bear Lake, CA - Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $39 million Big Bear replacement bridge on Highway 18 will be held today at 11 a.m. at the Performing Arts Center.

Caltrans has announced FCI Constructors, Inc. is poised to begin construction on the structure that will span the canyon ahead of the existing bridge.

The Big Bear Lake Performing Arts Center auditorium is located at 39707 Big Bear Boulevard.

(Photo by .)

Original Story

Big Bear, CA – The $39 million replacement bridge, which will span the canyon ahead of the current Big Bear Bridge on State Route 18, is set to begin. FCI Constructors, Inc. will be the primary contractor.

One of the first official acts will be a groundbreaking ceremony. This will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 5, at

The project is located on State Route 18, at the Big Bear Dam, and will replace the existing—historical—bridge with a new structure on the south side of the dam. It will also realign the roadway over the canyon downstream from the dam.

FCI will construct three 12-foot travel lanes (one westbound lane will have a right turn option), 10-foot shoulders, and a 5-foot American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk on one side of the bridge. It will also realign and signalize the intersection of SR-18 and SR-38 (which travels east toward Fawnskin).

Caltrans Consultant Bryce Johnson explains the design of the new replacement bridge at the Big Bear Dam. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

A Caltrans spokesperson emphasized that the project is needed to separate the highway from the dam, in order to allow owners of the dam to make seismic and operational improvements and ensure year-round access to the Big Bear region.

Caltrans expects the project to begin soon and to be completed in Fall 2011.

HISTORY

The Big Bear Valley Historical Society reports the initial Bear Valley Dam began construction in the summer of 1883, and was an ashlar rock dam. When it was finished, in December of 1884, it was 60-feet high and 300-feet wide, and cost between $68,000 and $75,000. Historians report the original dam is still generally intact, but that it is submerged beneath Big Bear Lake.

Big Bear Dam Monument (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

J.S. Eastwood built the present multiple-arch dam in 1910-1912, at a cost of $138,000. It was 20-feet higher than the original dam, and was retrofitted to meet earthquake standards required by the California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) in 1988, at a cost of roughly $8.5 million. It is located approximately 100 yards downstream from the original dam.

In 1924, Caltrans constructed Highway 18 over the top of the buttresses.

This article was first published on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 6:40 am. This article has been viewed 1837 times.

Michael P. Neufeld, Senior News Editor, is a graduate of the Dwight Bentel School of Journalism at San Jose State University. His first job out of San Jose State was with the Associated Press in Los Angeles as overnight Radio Editor. Prior to joining RIMOFTHEWORLD.net, Neufeld was editor of two weekly newspapers—THE MOUNTAIN NEWS and CRESTLINE COURIER-NEWS. He also has experience as editor of an employee newspaper for a major utility company and during his tenure as executive director of the San Jose State University Alumni Association served as faculty advisor to the association's monthly newsletter. He also spent eight years in commercial radio doing everything from news to advertising sales and writing commercials to being an announcer and on-air personality. Neufeld is actively involved the mountain communities including serving as master of ceremonies for the Arrowhead Arts Music Festival held each summer.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RIMOFTHEWORLD.net. This column is copyrighted by Michael P. Neufeld.