A single-lane bridge that has carried traffic over Wise Canal for generations is on its way out. Placer County announced plans to tear down the old Haines Road span and put up a modern two-lane bridge in its place, with construction now targeted for 2027.
The county made the announcement in a post on its official X account, writing that “A safer crossing is coming to Haines Road!” according to Placer County
. The existing bridge has just one lane, and the county's post describes it as 96 years old, while a separate Placer County project page puts the structure's age at 92 years — a discrepancy that remains unresolved across the county's own materials. Either way, the bridge has clearly been carrying local traffic since long before most of its current users were born.
The new bridge is designed to be considerably wider and more modern than what's there now. Project documents describe a structure roughly 73 feet long and 35.33 feet wide, with two 12-foot traffic lanes, two 4-foot shoulders, and bridge rails on each side, according to information filed with ceqanet.lci.ca.gov. That's a significant upgrade from the current single-lane crossing, which forces drivers to take turns funneling through.
Why the County Says the Upgrade Is Needed
Placer County's project page frames the replacement as a matter of basic infrastructure adequacy, not just convenience. The existing single-lane bridge is described there as structurally inadequate and functionally obsolete. Project materials filed with ceqanet.lci.ca.gov state that the goal is to replace the span “to improve roadway safety and to comply with current standards.”
Funding and Cost
The county's project page estimates the total project cost at $9.7 million, with funding from the federal Highway Bridge Program, local road funds, and federal toll credits. The county also said in its recent post that the project will have no impact on the county general fund. The county materials do not specify how much of the cost each funding source will cover.
How the Highway Bridge Program Supports Local Projects
Caltrans describes the Highway Bridge Program as a federal-aid safety program that helps local agencies replace or rehabilitate structurally deficient, locally owned public highway bridges. That program description does not specify the Haines Road project's funding share, according to Caltrans' Local Assistance Program Guidelines.
Delays Push Construction Toward 2027
The timeline for getting shovels in the ground has already shifted. Tree removal and utility relocation needed to clear the way for construction were originally scheduled to run from mid-March through the end of June, but that prep work had to be pushed back after Caltrans raised concerns about funding, per a report from citizenportal.ai. As a result, the county is now aiming for construction to begin in 2027 rather than sooner.
The project also has to fit around a limited canal-work period. The same report says construction timing is largely driven by PG&E's annual two-week maintenance window on Wise Canal.
For now, Haines Road drivers will keep crossing the same narrow bridge they have for decades while the county works through funding and scheduling hurdles. The exact construction start date, how long the work will take, and the project's final cost have not yet been confirmed, with 2027 standing as the county's target rather than a locked-in date.
