The official start of construction to upgrade the North Torrey Pines Bridge has begun, beginning a two year effort to retrofit the bridge to better withstand earthquakes. The project’s construction phase will be 100 percent funded with a combination of federal and state funding.

The gateway between Del Mar and La Jolla will be seismically strengthened to last at least 50 years and the deteriorating concrete will be repaired. All the upgrades will preserve and restore the existing aesthetic charm, character and historical features of the bridge.

“I am proud of the effort that has gone into preserving the beauty of the structure while bringing it up to the most current and stringent safety requirements,” said City of Del Mar Councilmember and Council Liaison to the Project Crystal Crawford.

“The location and nature of the bridge have required us to think innovatively,” said Mark Filanc, City of Del Mar Councilmember and Council Liaison to the Project. The bridge is an important thoroughfare for trains, cars and cyclists and because it is located above the Penasquitos Preserve, there are environmental challenges as well.”

The road will be open to daytime vehicular and bicycle traffic in each direction for the project duration with some nighttime closures. The upgrades will be staged to minimize impacts to train schedules. In addition, there are numerous requirements to minimize impacts to habitat in the area and minimize noise impacts to wildlife and nearby residents.

Construction of the original bridge, called the Sorrento Overhead, was completed in 1933 with its main purpose as an overhead railroad crossing. It is more than 550 feet long and 49 feet wide; equal to the size of two football fields and as tall as a six-story building. In 1996 the City of Del Mar officially renamed the bridge the North Torrey Pines Bridge. It is a nationally recognized historic structure.

The project completed both state and federal environmental reviews and the design has been carefully examined by both Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration. The City of Del Mar contracted with Simon Wong Engineering for engineering, TY Lin International for construction management and Flatiron West, Inc. for construction. The construction contract was awarded for $13,380,283.