The City of Placentia recently secured $2.2 million in federal funding for the Golden Avenue Bridge Replacement Project through the congressional community project funding request process submitted on behalf of the City through Congresswoman Young Kim’s office. This project was also submitted by Senator Alex Padilla’s Office through the Senate Appropriations Committee. Funding for the Golden Avenue Bridge Replacement Project has been allocated in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, which was signed by President Biden on March 15, 2022.
The Golden Avenue Bridge spans the Carbon Canyon Channel and was constructed in 1934. As it is now, the bridge only provides for two lanes of traffic, and there are no sidewalks or bike lanes on the bridge requiring motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists to all share the road.
The new bridge will be widened to accommodate six-foot-wide sidewalks and five-foot-wide bike lanes on either side, along with two vehicle travel lanes. In addition, the new bridge has been designed to accommodate on and off-ramps to an off-street recreational trail along Carbon Canyon as part of the Section D Gap Closure Project of the “OC Loop,” 66-mile long recreation trail through northern and central Orange County.
The City and County of Orange, which oversees the OC Loop Program, have worked collaboratively to design both the new bridge and recreation trail below that complement one another and ensure easy accessibility to this new recreation asset for the entire community. Both projects represent major investments in local transportation and active transportation infrastructure that will be enjoyed by generations to come.
“I’m so thankful for the help of Congresswoman Young Kim and Senator Alex Padilla, whose support and assistance aided Placentia in securing this funding for the essential Golden Avenue Bridge replacement. Both the Golden Avenue Bridge Replacement and the OC Loop Program will complement one another to maximize the benefits to the community,” said Mayor Rhonda Shader. “The bridge replacement project will be a necessary improvement to the area to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists crossing the bridge.”
“The Golden Avenue Bridge has proven to be critical to Placentia residents, but, with only two lanes, is in dire need of improvements to provide for the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. I’m proud to secure funding to directly create two additional traffic lanes as well as sidewalks and bike lanes to accommodate our growing community,” said Rep. Young Kim (CA-39). “I thank the Placentia City Council and Mayor Rhonda Shader for their work with me on this, and I’m proud to get this across the finish line. I’ll continue to do everything I can to provide for our Southern California communities.”
“I was proud to help secure this funding for the City of Placentia to replace the Golden Avenue Bridge,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “The new bridge will strengthen connectivity and improve safety for all road users in the community. I’ll continue working to support much-needed upgrades and investments in our local infrastructure in the region and across the state.”
For more information on the Golden Avenue Bridge Replacement Project, please contact the City of Placentia Public Works Department at (714) 993-8148.