The City of Palo Alto has reopened the Adobe Creek under-crossing two days ahead of time, the Palo Alto Public Works Department said in an announcement.
The path under U.S. Highway 101 is usually closed during the winter, when it could be affected by flooding. The under-crossing is a popular route for bicyclists and pedestrians. Officials reopened the area on April 13, two days ahead of schedule.
“Crews this week removed a record amount of silt and debris due to all the rain we received so far this year,” Steve Banks, public works manager of maintenance operations, said.
The city plans to replace the flood-prone under-crossing with the U.S. Highway 101 Pedestrian Overpass Project at Adobe Creek — a new, year-round bicycle and pedestrian bridge at Adobe Creek near the city’s southern border with Mountain View. The bridge is expected to provide a better linkage to technology job centers with regional trails and bicycle facilities. It would also improve access to recreation facilities such as the Baylands.
The Palo Alto City Council accepted a design in November 2016 developed by Biggs Cardosa and Associates for a 12-foot wide, $14 million bridge. Construction will begin early 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in 2020, depending on permitting and available funding.
More information about the overpass project is available here.
Instead of waiting for the proposed bike/ped bridge that seems to be as ill-starred as the Republicans’ efforts to repeal Obamacare, why not just dig a second culvert to carry the creekwater and leave the current arrangement open year-round?
New bridge will be ready in the year 2020. Just a coincidence that is when Trump’s term ends?