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A $25 million modern pedestrian bridge over Interstate 280 is on tap for the neighborhood.
Caltrans has begun outreach and preliminary work on a project to replace the narrow, unlit bridge connecting Ocean View to Cayuga Terrace, along with many other improvements along San Francisco's stretch of the freeway.
The state transportation agency held one of a series of community meetings on Wednesday in Ocean View Library's community room to share information about the project. Three members of the public attended.
The two-year project, part of Caltrans' Fab-4 Rehabilitation project series, began earlier in July with the installation of signage. Officials said the cost is about $71 million.
Project Manager Al Lee pegged the cost of the bridge replacement to $25 million.
The existing graffiti-covered Whipple Avenue pedestrian bridge will be demolished because it no longer meets modern safety or accessibility standards. The 1962-built structure is too steep to meet Americans With Disabilities Act standards. It has no lighting and makes northbound drivers of trucks and other large vehicles fearful about safely clearing it when driving by.
What's more, the name is no longer appropriate because as Cayuga Terrace developed, Whipple Avenue became distant from the bridge's footing, according to Lee.
The new structure will be called the Farallones Street Pedestrian Overcrossing, and it will be an ADA-compliant, seismically upgraded overcrossing featuring artistic designs, landscaping and lighting.
Caltrans said the overcrossing is designed with the neighborhood in mind. Colors and textures used for the project will "reference and unify with vegetation and established objects on both sides of the highway including Muni, BART, and Cayuga Park."
Artistic elements for the large retaining wall facing the freeway below San Jose Avenue convey birds in flight, referencing Cliff Swallows that migrate through Cayuga Park.
Ocean View-Merced Heights-Ingleside residents will have better access to Cayuga Park and Mission Street, while Outer Mission residents will have better access to the M Ocean View light rail line on San Jose Avenue, according to Caltrans. The walkway's wider width and lighting will allow more people to cross and increase its usage, as well.
Alongside the bridge replacement, Caltrans will perform major upgrades along the freeway from Ocean View's St. Charles Avenue to South of Market's Brannan Street.
The I-280 roadway work will include new pavement east of the US‑101 interchange by China Basin, on the double‑deck section and beyond; repaving all on‑ and off‑ramps; polyester concrete overlays on bridge decks; upgraded concrete median barriers; rehabilitation of drainage systems; ADA‑compliant curb ramp upgrades; and a new Changeable Message Sign at the Chase Center Mariposa off‑ramp.
Construction of the project is estimated to take two years to complete, and preliminary work for the project has already begun this July.
Construction of the overcrossing and freeway improvement work will require temporary lane reductions, detours and occasional evening and weekend full closures. Caltrans will update the project webpage with updates.
