The City of Temecula engaged Kleinfelder to provide bridge planning and design engineering services for the replacement of the 150-foot-long Main Street Bridge over Murrieta Creek. Constructed near the end of World War II, the previous Main Street Bridge was a reinforced concrete structure that lacked adequate shoulders, pedestrian walkways, and safety railings.
More concerning than the bridge’s age and lack of safety features was that the permanent support piers resting in the creek bed below were vulnerable to heavy scour and debris accumulating during storms. They were frequently congested with large volumes of debris disrupting the flow of the creek and increasing the potential for flooding and the associated maintenance costs to clear debris. The bridge was classified as Functionally Obsolete by Caltrans, and did not meet the needs of the growing community.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a plan to expand the creek bed to improve flood conditions. The City used this opportunity to replace the aged bridge—presenting a unique opportunity to design an innovative structure to address a multitude of concerns for the City. Keeping form and function at the forefront, Kleinfelder’s bridge team designed a single-span, steel truss superstructure with separate pedestrian walkways including architectural enhancements to match the community’s historic surroundings.
The City of Temecula has gained a steel truss replacement bridge infused with rustic charm to complement the look and feel of the Old Town District. The new bridge provides improved hydraulic performance, is compatible with future creek improvements, has no unnecessary rework to meet future demands, and utilized low maintenance materials to save the City in future costs.
Location:
Temecula, California
Owner:
City of Temecula
