La Fonda Bridge comes down

A Metro bus bound for Watsonville cruises past a partially demolished La Fonda Avenue Bridge Tuesday morning. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula).

SANTA CRUZ — A large chunk of the La Fonda Avenue Bridge that crosses over Highway 1 in Santa Cruz has been torn down. The work is part of the Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project between Morrissey Boulevard and 41st Avenue.

The second half of the 1948 bridge is slated for demolition Aug. 13 and 14. During the second phase of the demolition all northbound Highway 1 lanes will be closed from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. both nights. On those nights of closure, northbound traffic will have to exit at Soquel Drive, turn left on Soquel and right on Morrissey Boulevard and re-enter northbound Highway 1 where Morrissey meets Highway 1.

Alternate routes are limited. Officials advise the public to reduce auto travel as much as possible and allow additional travel time.

The La Fonda Bridge is now closed to cross traffic for 6-8 months.

While the highway is closed to remove the bridge for the dates noted above, at least one lane of southbound Highway 1 will remain open.

The middle pier of the La Fonda Bridge will remain in place until early October when the retaining walls and new bridge abutments are completed on each side of the highway and travel lanes can be moved over to allow work to occur in the center median area.

Speeds on the highway through the project area are now reduced to 55 MPH, with traffic fines doubled in the construction zone.

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