SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Regularly scheduled maintenance on Sacramento’s Tower Bridge has faced a few delays recently, in part because of the weather and the recent government shut down.
The $5.8 million maintenance project was originally scheduled to last between September 2018 through December 2018, to replace components involved in the raising and lowering of the bridge. However, during their work, crews determined additional repair work would be needed, in coordination with the National Guard, to remove and replace bridge bearings.
At first, the weather put a delay on that work. Then the 35-day government shut down happened, further delaying progress on the bridge by suspending National Guard operations.
All of the recent rains have added an extra curveball, limiting traffic on the Sacramento River for vessels of all sizes. According to Caltrans District 3 Public Information Officer Dennis Keaton, vessels can get through, but they have to give Caltrans and the Coast Guard at least 72-hours advanced notice in order for the bridge to be manually raised and lowered.
Now, weather permitting, the project is set to be completed in early March 2019. The total cost of the project is unaffected by the delays.
The Tower Bridge first opened to traffic in December 1935. It gained its iconic gold paint job in 2002 after a vote by the people. It is arguably the most identifiable landmark in the city.
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The Tower Bridge in Sacramento. You can't miss it. Since 1935 it's connected Sacramento to Yolo County. It's been painted several times with many colors. Now, it's Metallic Gold. Why?