Caltrans hosted a groundbreaking ceremony March 5 for the start of the Big Bear Bridge project. The ceremony took place in Big Bear at the Performing Arts Center.

Caltrans District 8 Director Raymond Wolfe, joined San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry, city of Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick, Chairman of the Board for the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce Ken Dally and the Vice President of the Fawnskin Chamber of Commerce James P. Dooley. Representatives of Sen. Dutton, Sen. Ashburn, and Assemblyman Paul Cook also were present.

The $39 million project is located at the Big Bear Dam on State Route 18 (SR-18) at State Route 38 (SR-38). Construction is expected to start once weather is favorable. Flatiron Construction, Inc. will begin placing construction signs, restripe the lanes for construction access, then clearing and grubbing. Then the actual work to build the bridge and realign the roadway will start.

Along with a new bridge and roadway realignment, Caltrans also will construct three 12-ft. (3.6 m) travel lanes (one westbound lane will have a right turn option), 10-ft. (3 m) shoulders, and a 5-ft. (1.5 m) American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk on one side of the bridge. The intersection of SR-18 and SR-38 will be signalized.

The communities of Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, and Fawnskin have anxiously awaited this project since the first planning stages in 1986.

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