Millbrae is racing to shore up the shuttered Aviador Bridge with a temporary fix after engineers concluded the aging span could no longer safely carry traffic. City officials say the short-term work is meant to restore faster neighborhood and emergency access while they chase funding for a full replacement, with a clear target in mind: get a temporary support in place before the rainy season hits.
Bridge out since May
The Aviador Avenue crossing is a reinforced concrete box culvert built in 1947 that staff say has corroded and dropped chunks of concrete, cutting its load-bearing capacity. Because of that deterioration, the bridge has been completely closed since May, sending emergency vehicles and everyday drivers on longer detours. Vice Mayor Anders Fung has called the span critical for first responders and neighborhood safety, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Council advances interim shoring
At last Tuesday's special meeting, the City Council moved to amend the city’s Capital Improvement Program and authorize the Aviador Bridge Interim Shoring Project. That action lays the groundwork to award the temporary shoring contract and frees up staff to move ahead with procurement, according to the City of Millbrae.
Cost, timeline and funding
Staff asked the council to set aside up to $500,000 for the interim shoring effort, although construction-only estimates without contingency are currently pegged at roughly $200,000 to $375,000, officials told the council, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal. The numbers are based on a shoring plan that would tuck steel and timber supports under the existing span. Staff said the temporary fix could last anywhere from three to ten years while the city works on a permanent replacement. State permitting documents show that full replacement has been pushed into 2027 because of funding constraints, according to the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Closures and neighborhood impacts
The city has posted an alert stating that the bridge will be closed starting June 1 for dry-season maintenance and repairs, with plans to reopen it before the wet season. The notice describes the closure as a safety and maintenance measure while engineers finalize the interim shoring design and says traffic control and emergency access will be coordinated throughout the work, according to the City of Millbrae Alert Center.
What to expect next
If the shoring contract is awarded and crews get on site as planned, the city expects the temporary support to restore more dependable access for Bayside Manor and speed up emergency response this winter. The stopgap repairs are intended to buy Millbrae time to pursue grants and regional money for the roughly $4 million full replacement, a process reflected in state permitting records, according to the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board.
