Updated:  03.17.26

PROJECT STATUS

The project is currently in design and includes the rehabilitation of the existing 4 lane bridge over the San Elijo Lagoon outlet. 

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Hwy 101 bridge over the San Elijo Lagoon was built in 1934 and was widened on the western side in 1953. The 200-foot-long reinforced concrete pile bridge consists of an ADA sidewalk on the east side, protected bike lanes on each side, and four (4) vehicular travel lanes.  Repairs have been made over the years as the bridge has aged and deteriorated.  The bridge has been inspected regularly by Caltrans structural engineers over the years to ensure safe public use, most recently in 2024.  The bridge has a sufficiency rating of 60.4 out of 100.   

In 2019, Caltrans staff indicated to City staff that the bridge was a good candidate to pursue federal funding via the Highway Bridge Program.  

The Highway Bridge Program (HBP) is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funded program established to ensure public highway bridges are safe.  Under this program, locally owned, public highway bridges can be considered for replacement or rehabilitation funding when the State determines a bridge is in poor condition and is important for traffic movement.  The Local Assistance Division at Caltrans administers this program on behalf of the Federal Government and evaluates candidate projects for eligibility. 

In February 2025, the Federal Government certified the SANDAG 2025 RTIP, which included a partial allocation of design funding for the Hwy 101 San Elijo Lagoon Bridge Rehabilitation Project, as shown on the Caltrans 2024/25-2029/30 Highway Bridge Program project sheet for the 2025/26 federal fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2025.