An Iconic California Bridge Is About to Disappear

California's Highway 1 is famous for its views, but right now the most dramatic thing about it isn't the coastline—it's a fight over a bridge. As SFGate reports, the California Department of Transportation plans to demolish the historic Albion River Bridge, the last wooden highway span in the state, after declaring it structurally unsafe and seismically vulnerable. Built in 1944 and resembling a wooden train trestle from a Hollywood Western far more than anything from this century, locals in Albion see the structure as as inseparable from their town's identity, and they're not ready to let it go. "It's hard to look at a photo of Albion that doesn't also show the bridge," says Jim Heid, a resident fighting to preserve it.

He's a member of the Albion Bridge Stewards, a preservation group formed in 2017, which is pushing back against the demolition and insists the bridge just needs more maintenance. But Caltrans says rotting beams, wood railings, corroded bolts, cracked supports, and no walkways or bike lanes prove the bridge has outlived its usefulness. It's drawn up a $136 million plan for a concrete arch replacement with wider lanes, sidewalks, and modern safety rails. The Stewards, however, say the new bridge may be functional, but the loss of the iconic Albion River Bridge will have negative economic consequences for the region due to a drop in tourism. "It is more than just a way of getting across the river. It is an emblem of the community," Heid says. "With the demise of the timber industry and the fishing industry on the coast, tourism and preservation are the economic engines of this area."

Still, last month, Caltrans announced the replacement design was finalized and that construction is slated to begin in 2028 and finish in 2031. That not only means the demolition of the bridge, but also the closure of the nearby Albion River Campground and Beach for more than three years. To soften the blow and remember the bridge, the state pledged to install an interpretive exhibit near or on the new one and even a short documentary to be available on a "Caltrans-supported website." But to locals, these offerings are no substitute for the real thing. "Everybody knows that a sign doesn't drive tourists," Heid says. "Nobody takes a picture of, you know, a sign."