SLO County to replace a key bridge connecting Los Osos and Morro Bay. See when
.jpg "An architectural rendering of the South Bay Boulevard at Los Osos Creek Bridge Replacement Project.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- SLO County will replace the seismically deficient Los Osos Creek bridge by fall 2027.
- Board awarded a $23.5M contract; about 88% of the cost funded by Caltrans.
- Construction begins January; new two‑span bridge adds bike lanes, pedestrian path.
A key San Luis Obispo County bridge will be replaced starting next year, providing a major upgrade for residents of Los Osos.
The bridge over Los Osos Creek at South Bay Boulevard — which connects Los Osos and Morro Bay — will be replaced with a stronger, safer connector in its place, the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department announced in a news release Monday.
Originally built in 1966, the current three-span concrete bridge near the Los Osos bear statue is “seismically deficient” and could collapse during a strong earthquake, public works said.
Given the old bridge also falls along a designated emergency evacuation route for Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, it is well overdue for replacement.
The SLO County Board of Supervisors awarded the $23.5 million construction project to Security Paving Co. on Sept. 21, and about 88% of the cost will be funded through Caltrans’ Highway Bridge Program, public works said.
What will the new bridge look like?
A longer and wider two-span concrete bridge will come in its place, constructed immediately adjacent to the existing bridge on the east side, public works said.
The new bridge will feature 8-foot shoulders with bike lanes and a separate 5-foot-wide pedestrian walking path.
The existing bridge will remain open during construction, which is scheduled to being in January and wrap up by fall 2027, though the speed limit for drivers may be reduced for safety in the construction zone.
There will also be times when the road shoulders and bike lanes will be closed, requiring bicyclists to share the roadway with vehicles, public works said.
The old bridge will be demolished once the new bridge is complete and open to traffic.
The nearby Los Osos bear statue will be temporarily relocated to a secure location during construction and returned to a new location on the northwest side of the bridge once construction is complete, public works said.
