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.

 

Project Schedule & Budget

Begin construction: Summer 2018*

Construction completion: Mid 2022*

For budget information click here

*The project's budget and schedule are subject to change.

 

Contact Us

For questions or concerns about the project, call the Public Works Department construction project information line at 619-533-4207, email [email protected], or submit your inquiry online. Please reference the "West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Replacement Project" in your inquiry.