Atwater Jordan Road at Atwater Canal Bridge Replacement Project

The Atwater Jordan Road at Atwater Canal Bridge Replacement Project is a public infrastructure initiative led by Merced County, California, aimed at replacing and widening an existing bridge structure over the Atwater Canal located approximately 0.3 mile west of Central Avenue in the city of Atwater, with a ZIP code of 95301. The project involves the replacement of Bridge No. 39C-0286 while maintaining the existing horizontal and vertical alignment, with plans to widen the bridge by approximately 10 feet to accommodate two 11-foot travel lanes and 3-foot shoulders on both sides. Additional improvements include the installation of new concrete barrier bridge rails, rock slope protection along embankments to prevent scour, and potential upgrades to canal access roads. The project requires acquisition of additional right of way and temporary construction easements from adjacent properties. Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2027 and conclude by March 2028, lasting approximately five months, with work strictly limited to daytime hours between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. in accordance with county ordinances, and no night work permitted. Operations must occur during the non-irrigation season to minimize disruption to water flow and agricultural practices. Environmental compliance and mitigation are central to the project’s execution. The contractor must implement a suite of measures designated as HAZ-1 through HAZ-5 to address asbestos, lead, and agricultural chemical hazards; WQ-1 through WQ-6 to manage erosion and sedimentation impacting water quality; NOI-1 through NOI-5 to control construction noise; and cultural resource protocols to respond to potential discoveries of human remains. Compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requires Best Management Practices such as limiting the construction footprint, dust control through soil watering, and the use of silt fencing, fiber rolls, and sheeting. A Section 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is mandatory, and adherence to the Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone Act along with state earthquake legislation is required for all structural designs, particularly concerning bridge integrity and performance on unstable soils under the International Building Code. The project’s environmental documentation includes supporting materials such as a FEMA floodplain map, a hydraulic study from WRECO (2019), species habitat tables, and regional and project location maps. While this transaction is currently classified as a forecast with a posted date of