Weather Delays Start of Bridge Work

Updated 4/4/06

Work on the replacement of a bridge on Nicholaus near the Sutter/Placer County line, originally scheduled to begin April 1, has been delayed. Inclement weather has pushed back the start of the bridge work until April 17.

Traffic on Nicolaus Road between Dowd Road and Pleasant Grove Road, near the Sutter/Placer County line, will be rerouted through June 1, 2006. This closure will be performed by Placer County Department of Public Works for a bridge replacement.

The detour will route westbound traffic south from Nicolaus Road along Dowd Road to Moore Road, west along Moore Road to Pleasant Grove Road, and north along Pleasant Grove Road to Nicolaus. Eastbound traffic will be routed south from Nicolaus Road along Pleasant Grove Road to Moore Road, east along Moore Road to Dowd Road, and north along Dowd Road to Nicolaus.

During that period, both eastbound and westbound traffic along Nicolaus Road between Dowd Road and Brewer Road will be open to local traffic only. Nicolaus Road will have a hard closure (no traffic allowed) between Pleasant Grove Road and Brewer Road.

The existing bridge, built in the 1930s has exceeded it lifespan and is in need of replacement. The placement bridge is pre-cast and awaiting transportation from Lodi for installation. The existing bridge and its footings will be removed and new footings built. The new bridge will then be lowered into place with a crane. The area around the new bridge will be backfilled and new approaches built, which will put the new bridge about a foot higher than the existing bridge.

The existing, single-lane bridge has an 11-foot lane. This will become a two-lane bridge with 12-foot lanes and two, four-foot shoulders.