More bridge work underway to repair damage from 2018 mudflow disaster in Montecito

MONTECITO, Calif. -  Construction will begin this month on additional repairs to roads and bridges affected by the Thomas Fire and January 9, 2018 mudslides.

The Santa Barbara County Public Works department says the projects include the repair of 28 lane miles of road and the construction of a temporary bridge at the Cold Springs Trailhead.

$5.7 million in Southern California Edison Settlement Funds will pay for the road repair and and an additional $230,000 in settlement funds will pay for bridge replacement. 

Chris Sneddon Santa Barbara County Public Works said, "we've been working nonstop for the last two plus years just rebuilding things that got destroyed."

The Santa Barbara County Public works department says a contractor is already marking off the work zone for the bridge at Cold Springs Creek which has been impassable for vehicles for over 28 months.

Sneddon said, "over the course of the next couple of months they will be building that up and set the structure in."

The temporary bridge will be in three sections. It will be in place for about three years when a permanent bridge will be funded and installed.

The temporary bridge will then be removed and stored in case of another emergency when it will be needed.

Other bridges will get improvements to their rails and surfaces.

The roads took a beating when trucks loaded with debris and rocks made thousands of trips. "A lot of the damage is things that weren't immediately evident but from all of the hauling and all the long term damage that happens to roads from that type of event," said Sneddon. "Every truck is the equivalent of a thousand cars."

The bulk of the work will be done between early June and mid August.