Project Overview

TThe County of Riverside (County), in cooperation with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), proposes to replace the following four existing structurally deficient timber bridges along Chuckwalla Valley Road near Desert Center in Riverside County, California:

· Chuckwalla Valley Road Bridge over Aztec Ditch (State Br. No. 56C0102)

· Chuckwalla Valley Road Bridge over Tarantula Ditch (State Br. No. 56C0103)

· Chuckwalla Valley Road Bridge over Sutro Ditch (State Br. No. 56C0104)

· Chuckwalla Valley Road Bridge over Acari Ditch (State Br. No. 56C0108)

The proposed project will replace the existing 2-lane timber bridges with new 2-lane modern bridges with a curb-to-curb roadway width of 32 feet at the same locations. The proposed road width will consist of two 12-foot-wide travel lanes, one lane in each direction, and a 4-foot-wide shoulder on each side. Modern traffic barriers/railings meeting current CALTRANS safety design standards would be constructed. The proposed bridges would be approximately 60 to 80 feet long depending on the channel hydraulic capacity and water surface freeboard requirements. Additionally, approach roadway improvements would be provided and channel improvements would be administered to avoid future scour problems. The channel bottom will remain earthen.