Newport clears the way to replace 1930 bridge connecting Balboa islands

The Park Avenue Bridge, which has connected Balboa Island to Little Balboa Island for 86 years, will be replaced in coming months.

The Newport Beach City Council voted 6 to 0 on Tuesday night, with Councilman Keith Curry absent, to approve a $6.3 million contract with Gardena-based John S. Meek Co. Inc. to build a temporary bridge connecting the islands and construct a new, permanent bridge over the Grand Canal.

The city has secured $4.6 million in federal grant funds and is seeking additional grant money for the rest of the project. Staff expects to receive the rest of the money this month.

Construction is expected to begin in late March, starting with the installation of the temporary bridge on Balboa Avenue. The permanent bridge on Park Avenue is expected to be completed in early 2017, said Deputy Public Works Director Mark Vukojevic.

“The difficulties of the project really require a strong contractor with not only expertise in bridges but also expertise in marine engineering,” Vukojevic said.

Though the new bridge will be aesthetically similar, it will have slightly wider pedestrian sidewalks and traffic lanes over the Grand Canal, as well as ramps and staircases at all four corners connecting it to the sidewalks.

City officials began talking publicly about replacing the aging bridge several years ago after the state designated the structure as “functionally obsolete,” meaning it was entering the last stages of its usable life.

Councilman Ed Selich, who represents the islands, said he first heard about the need for a new bridge when he was appointed to the council a decade ago. At the time, he said, determining how to do it was a contentious topic.

“There was a lot of dissension among the residents about how it should be done,” he said. “There were even a few minor physical altercations over it.”

The logistics of construction in the dense area where vehicle traffic is often slowed to accommodate pedestrians proved challenging for city officials. The fact that the bridge is Little Balboa’s only practical access point also proved to be a problem.

Eventually, city staff determined the best way to ensure the work would get done without great disruption to the islands would be to build a temporary steel bridge for the period of construction on Balboa Avenue.

Selich commended residents and city staff for working together over the years to make the replacement a reality.

The temporary span will feature an asphalt overlay to minimize noise. A contractor will direct traffic at the intersection of Balboa and Marine avenues to help ease slowdowns, especially during busy summer months, city staff said.