If you've been detouring around the Watmaugh Road Bridge south of Sonoma, keep doing it. The roughly 2-mile closed stretch of Watmaugh Road will stay shut through the winter while crews slow work on the bridge over Sonoma Creek, The Press Democrat reported.
Where the project stands
- The $8.5 million project brings the 97-year-old bridge up to state seismic standards. County officials say it is on track to finish by late summer 2027.
- Crews took apart the bridge trusses in July and have been building the new foundation from a temporary platform over the creek.
- That platform, made of large pipes that let water pass through, was set to come out the week of Oct. 20 ahead of winter. "We're taking out those pipes so there's nothing to hold water back… especially with the El Niño year coming," said Vanessa Garrett, Sonoma County Public Infrastructure deputy director for engineering and maintenance.
- Environmental permits give the contractor a four-month window each year to work in the creek. Garrett said crews expect to be back at full capacity around June 2027, when the next window opens.
The contract
Sonoma County's bid results list the job as the Watmaugh Road Bridge Replacement project, C08001. Viking Construction Company won it with a $7,112,953 bid. The Press Democrat reported the work is part of a $12.8 million effort to replace aging bridges in unincorporated Sonoma County.
Detours
Since the closure began in June, traffic has been sent along Leveroni Road, Arnold Drive and Broadway. Before the closure, at least 5,000 vehicles a day crossed the bridge, according to 2016 county data, the most recent available.