Imperial County pushes for $8.5 million to fix crumbling bridges under state of emergency
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Multiple bridges across Imperial County remain under a state of emergency due to compromised integrity.
Local officials are aggressively pursuing an $8.5 million grant through the federal Bridge Investment Program to fund major replacements and repairs.
The structural crisis is heavily impacting the community, causing restricted farming routes, delayed school bus commutes, and dangerous traffic detours.
Meloland Road Bridge: This 85-year-old wooden pole bridge crosses a major drain and is actively sinking due to the increasing weight of modern heavy farming equipment. Past repairs failed, meaning the structure must be pulled out. The county plans to replace it using concrete culverts and dirt fill, though this requires ongoing coordination with the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) to prevent water flow interference and clear environmental issues.Drew Road Bridge: This wooden pole bridge spans the New River and has forced local drivers into massive 12-to-14-mile detours just to get around it. The county is trying to secure approval from the State of California to encase the existing poles with concrete, allowing them to repair the bridge in place and quickly reopen the route.
Picacho Road Bridge: A century-old structure that was closed over a year ago due to extreme safety factors. A simple repair is out of the question for this vital regional connector. It requires a complete replacement.
While the state ultimately decides how to prioritize requests and distribute the federal funds, Imperial County is not waiting around. County crews are already digging up easement records and clearing environmental hurdles ahead of time.
“We’re trying to do all the groundwork before we ever get the funding so if we can get that done while we’re waiting then we’re ready to go,” says Imperial County District 5 Supervisor John Hawk. “The actual bridge building wouldn’t take more than probably four tofive months.”
The prolonged bridge closures have forced local travelers onto poorly maintained back roads, raising serious safety alarms.
“And they’re not safe. I see so many accidents almost happen all the time,” said Imperial Valley resident Elizabeth Franks.
Other locals are pushing for help but worry that the rural region will be ignored by decision-makers in Sacramento.
“Yeah, they’re pretty bad. It’s not like when I was a kid. I guess there’s not much we can do about it,” said Imperial Valley native Stephen Teague regarding the detour routes.
When asked about the likelihood of securing the multi-million dollar grant, Teague expressed doubt saying, “I don’t think they will. We’re not big enough. We don’t have that many people or voting power.”
A number of local agencies have written official letters to the state, urging them to prioritize Imperial County’s proposal due to the severe economic and safety impacts on the community.
“We’ve accomplished a lot, but we have a lot to go, and you can’t do it all in a couple of weeks,” Supervisor Hawk noted. “It takes an ongoing process and the road crews are very disciplined and they’re organized, so we’re happy to see that and I think we’re making good progress.”
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