California Aqueduct Bridge Rehabilitation and Seismic Retrofit
Project Description
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposes to rehabilitate and retrofit California Aqueduct Bridge Number 50-0323 on State Route 166. The project is in Kern County east of Maricopa, 2.6 miles east of Old River Road and 5 miles west of Interstate 5. There is one build alternative—Alternative 1A—and a no-build alternative. Under the build alternative, the existing structure would be left in place, and extra support would be added to the bridge where the structure is currently sagging and cracking. The project would also update the bridge rail to current standards, replace existing bridge dikes, and rehabilitate the existing pavement.

Project Benefits
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to seismically retrofit and rehabilitate the existing 50-year-old bridge to meet current Caltrans standards and be structurally sound.
Need
The existing bridge is deficient for the following reasons:
- The bridge piers are settling into the ground, resulting in cracks on the bottom surface of the existing bridge structure
- The bridge deck is sagging and rotating, indicating that the foundation is unstable, resulting in insufficient structural integrity
- Because of the bridge’s insufficient structural integrity, the bridge may continue to deteriorate and become structurally unsound
Estimated Funding Breakdown
Funding Source | Funding Amount |
---|---|
Local | Not Applicable |
State | $1,000,000 |
Federal | $7,400,000 |
Construction Cost | $8,400,000 |
Proposed Project Schedule
Process | Date |
---|---|
Final environmental document to be completed | Summer 2022 |
Right-of-way acquisition to be completed | Summer 2023 |
Design to be completed | Summer 2023 |
Advertise | Fall 2023 |
Construction to begin | Spring 2024 |
Construction to be completed | Fall 2025 |
Project Contact
Jennifer H. Taylor, Environmental Office Chief
Phone: 559-287-9844
Email: jennifer.taylor@dot.ca.gov
Scott Friesen, Project Manager
Phone: (559) 960-2238
Email: scott.friesen@dot.ca.gov
District 6 Public Information Office
Phone: (559) 444-2409
Email: d6.public.info@dot.ca.gov
Documents
- Initial Study with Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment and Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation with Finding of No Significant Impact - August 2022 (16.4MB PDF)
Title VI Information
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assures that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and Federal Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).
Caltrans will make every effort to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether they are federally funded or not, and that services and benefits are fairly distributed to all people, regardless of race, color, or national origin. In addition, Caltrans will facilitate meaningful participation in the transportation planning process in a nondiscriminatory manner.
- Title VI Brochure (English, PDF)
- Title VI Brochure (Spanish, PDF)
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Caltrans Information)