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Capital Improvements Program (CIP)

West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Replacement Project

Background

The West Mission Bay Drive Bridge was constructed in the early 1950s to meet the demands and standards of its time. It was constructed with four travel lanes, five-foot-wide sidewalks, concrete pier walls on timber piles and a concrete median barrier. Because the daily traffic volume on the bridge exceeds its current capacity, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) evaluated and classified the bridge as functionally obsolete. The existing bridge will be replaced with two three-lane parallel structures for both northbound and southbound traffic. This project is federally funded through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Program (HBP).

Project Overview

This project is located on West Mission Bay Drive between Interstate 8 and Sea World Drive, approximately 1.25 miles west of the Interstate 5/Interstate 8 (I-5/I-8) interchange within the City of San Diego.

Once complete, the project will replace the existing four-lane bridge with two separate three-lane structures, providing an improved transportation link across the San Diego River. The improvements include:

  • Two new parallel bridge structures with three travel lanes in each direction.
  • A class 1 bike path on both bridges.
  • Roadway widening and improvements along Sports Arena Boulevard, West Mission Bay Drive and the westbound I-8 off-ramp.
  • Additional architectural features.
  • Environmental mitigation.

Construction Simulation Video

This video outlines the anticipated construction steps and methods for the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Project.

Renderings

Please note these are only artistic renderings for the project. Some details of the finished project may not exactly mirror what is portrayed in these renderings.

A rendering of the two three-lane bridgesA rendering of the proposed West Mission Bay Drive BridgeA rendering of the proposed bike path on the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge. A rendering of the proposed bikepath for the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge. A rendering of the proposed bike path on the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge.A rendering of the proposed southwest bike path for the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Project

Anticipated Schedule and Budget

Begin construction: Summer 2018*

Construction completion: Early 2023*

For budget information, visit the Capital Improvements Program project page.

Contact Us

For questions or concerns about the project, call the Engineering & Capital Projects Department at 619-533-4207, email engineering@sandiego.gov, or submit your inquiry online. Please reference the "West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Replacement Project" in your inquiry.

 

*Anticipated schedule and budget are subject to change.