Folsom Preservation

The fate of an historic, concrete arch bridge is up in the air. Folsom’s Public Works Department proposes to tear down and replace the Orangevale Avenue Bridge for safety reasons. The Heritage Preservation League of Folsom feels that a new bridge will only serve to benefit cut-through traffic on that road. The League endorses another plan to address safety and preserve the bridge, which has historic value.

The Orangevale Bridge is the oldest automobile bridge in Sacramento County still in use. Built in 1915, it was once a part of the first transcontinental Lincoln Highway. Early-day motorists entering Folsom from the West made a short detour off of Greenback Lane to cross the bridge. That ended in 1948 when Greenback was extended through to Folsom. The bridge now lies on a quiet, residential road near American River Canyon Drive.


1915 Orangevale Avenue Bridge View One.

The Orangevale Bridge was the prototype for the Rainbow Bridge that spans the American River. Both were designed and built by the same architect within two years of each other. While the Rainbow was widened and modernized, the Orangevale Bridge has been left untouched over time. Along with the surrounding area, it looks much the same as when it was a main highway. Nancy Percy, of the Heritage Preservation League, calls the well-preserved bridge “a celebration of the advent of the automobile”.


1915 Orangevale Avenue Bridge View Two.

The Folsom Public Works Department wants to build a 43 foot wide, box-like concrete bridge in its place. The width of the existing bridge is a safety concern according to City engineers. Although City records show only two minor accidents on the bridge in the past 8 years, officials contend that the City could be held liable for future accidents if no action is taken.

The Heritage Preservation League and the Lincoln Highway Association have a much simpler plan. Proposed by retired bridge engineers Norman Root and Lloyd Johnson, and Lincoln Highway Association Chapter President Robert Dieterich, the 20-foot wide bridge would become a one-lane road. Signs placed on both sides of the bridge would inform motorists to yield to oncoming traffic.

According to Robert Dieterich, converting an older bridge to one-lane is a common and effective way to make it safe and extend its useful life. Mr. Dieterich cites the Webber Creek Bridge near Placerville and Buck’s Bar Bridge on the Cosumnes River as similar in age, width and traffic use to the Orangevale Bridge. Both adequately accommodate traffic with no apparent safety problems. There are about 1,500 one-lane bridges in California.


Model A on bridge.

Safety issue aside, the Public Works Department wants to build a wider, faster bridge that would destroy the existing one. The Preservation League opts for a traffic calming measure that will preserve the historic bridge. Who will benefit from each proposal?
There are fewer than 100 homes in the immediate vicinity that might potentially use the Orangevale Bridge for residential access. A recent traffic count of 2,000 cars per day suggests that the bridge is used primarily as a short cut between Folsom and Orangevale. It helps motorists avoid traffic lights on Greenback Lane. Some residents believe that widening the bridge will increase its appeal for cut-through traffic. One local resident who walks and bicycles across the bridge fears that increased traffic speed from a wider bridge will make the road more dangerous for pedestrians.

Local resident, Tony Powers, says the width of the current bridge creates a “natural traffic calming effect” that causes motorists to slow down and take turns when crossing. Proponents of a one-lane bridge state that this plan would simply enforce what most motorists already do. They prefer a one-lane bridge in order to preserve the rural character of the area along with the historic bridge.


Bucks Bar Bridge.

The Public Works Department cites other reasons for replacing the Orangevale Bridge. A posted 10-ton load limit currently prevents fire trucks from using the bridge. While some confusion about the bridge‘s weight capacity existed in the 80s and 90s, two recent bridge inspections by the California Department of Transportation indicate that there should be no weight limit at all posted on the bridge. Reports from Cal Trans inspections done in 2001 and 2003 show that the bridge is good for all legal loads (including fire trucks).

Public Works officials also cite the age of the bridge and the fact that it was given a 50-year estimated life span as reason for replacement. Former Cal Trans engineer Norman Root states that it was a standard practice at that time to assign all bridges a 50-year life span. This includes a concrete arch bridge near Dunsmuir that was built in 1916. The Dunsmuir Bridge currently carries Southbound freeway traffic on Interstate 5. Cal Trans has no plans to replace it. Statewide, about 200 concrete arch bridges built between 1909 and the late1930s are still in use.


Webber Creek Bridge.

Though in good condition and high in historic value, the Orangevale Bridge does seem to suffer from lack of visibility. Many residents don’t know it exists. Once easily seen from Greenback Lane, vegetation growth has obscured the bridge in recent years. City planners like to cite this as a reason for not preserving the bridge. The vegetation near the bridge is located in a steep ravine with limited access. Heritage Preservation League Vice President, Loretta Hettinger, points out that the bridge could be “one September fire season away” from being very visible again.

Folsom residents value the city's history. Much effort and expense have gone into preserving the historic character of the town. The City Council recently decided to add decorative arches to the Natomas Crossing Bridge in order to compliment its historic companion upstream. Now a pair of historically authentic arches lie in the balance. Folsom has a choice between a new, wider bridge that makes for a better short cut, or a traffic-calming old bridge that adds to the town’s historic legacy. The City Council is expected to take up the matter shortly.