The century-old Stevenson Bridge, the heavily tagged "Graffiti Bridge" west of Davis, is about to go quiet for a while. Solano and Yolo counties are moving ahead with a long-planned rehabilitation project that will bring months of intermittent closures starting in early May and stretching into the fall. The work is set to shore up the foundations, strengthen the span against earthquakes and repair battered concrete, while officials continue to wrestle with a very local question: what happens to all that graffiti.
What officials say
County officials have announced an $8.3 million rehabilitation package that will cover scour protection, seismic retrofitting, roadway realignment, new foundations and concrete repairs, and warned that the bridge and nearby roads will be closed at times during construction, according to CBS Sacramento. That report notes closures are scheduled to start on May 1 and continue through October, with county officials saying they hope to wrap the bulk of the work within a single construction season. Local access to nearby homes and businesses will be maintained during the project, according to county spokespeople.
County timelines and paperwork
On paper, the timing looks a bit different. Solano County's project page describes Stevenson Bridge as a rare reinforced-concrete through tied-arch structure and lists scour protection, seismic strengthening and roadway realignment among the planned repairs, while stating construction is projected to begin in Summer 2026 or 2027. Public records and meeting materials on Solano County's Legistar site detail easement acquisitions, right-of-way actions and budget items associated with the rehabilitation and show planning work has been underway for months. Those documents indicate county officials have spent years on design, environmental review and property negotiations to get the project to the starting line.
A fragile local icon
Built in 1923, the 298-foot Stevenson span is one of only a handful of reinforced concrete through tied-arch bridges in California and has been flagged by preservationists as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Historic documentation and Caltrans inspection records highlight both the structure's rarity and its long-running need for repairs, which planners say is part of why they are pushing rehabilitation instead of full replacement; HistoricBridges.org lays out the bridge's history and condition in detail. Over the decades, its painted surfaces have turned into a local tradition, and residents are watching closely to see how construction crews treat the layers of graffiti during the fix-up.
Local impact and reaction
Cyclists and photographers who rely on the narrow crossing will have to reroute during closures. The Davis Bike Club has already posted a notice that "Stevenson Bridge to close beginning May 1" on its site, a heads-up to riders who frequent the Putah Creek corridor. Drivers, too, should expect rolling closures and temporary detours, though county materials stress that access to nearby properties and businesses will stay open throughout construction. For many locals, the detours may be easier to handle than the looming decision about whether the bridge's painted skin survives the rehabilitation or gets wiped clean.
Funding and next steps
Public records show the rehabilitation is funded largely by federal Highway Bridge Program dollars, plus a roughly $3.4 million congressional earmark dedicated to Stevenson Bridge. County files indicate construction funding and right-of-way actions have been lined up through Solano County's budget process. Solano County Legistar documents spell out the federal awards, the easement acquisitions and the plan to take the project out to bid. Officials say contractor selection, formal detour maps and a detailed work schedule will be released after bids are awarded and permits are locked in.
Where to follow updates
Solano County's public-works project page hosts the CEQA documents, inspection reports and planning materials and will carry official schedule updates and contact information for the rehabilitation. Residents are encouraged to check the county project page or contact Solano and Yolo public-works offices for the latest detour routes and access details before heading out to the Putah Creek corridor.
