Pedestrians will still be able to access a narrow pathway from the west end of the park to the Plaza de Panama throughout the bridge’s retrofit and rehabilitation; vehicular traffic will be prohibited.

Margie Palmer | SDUN Reporter

Considering the Balboa Park 2015 Centennial Celebration is just around the corner, it makes sense the city wanted to ensure the Cabrillo Bridge, considered by many to be among the park’s crown jewels, should be in tip-top shape before the festivities kick off.

The closure itself is less about aesthetics and more about preserving the structure itself. CalTrans Public Information Officer Ed Cartagena said the bridge is more than 100 years old and the $38 million retrofitting and rehabilitation is needed to bring the bridge up to current earthquake-safety standards.

“Most of the work that is going to take place will be unseen by pedestrians because it will be done internally,” he said. “The internal structure is a wooden skeleton that was later reinforced by concrete and structural steel. After 100 years, some of that has deteriorated and the job now is to reinforce the structure to bring it up to higher seismic standards.”

This, he said, is the work that motorists will see taking place as they travel beneath the bridge along SR 163. On the topside of the bridge, repairs will include roadway repaving, sidewalk and concrete structures repairs and electrical upgrades.

Although vehicular traffic to the Plaza de Panama from the west side of the park will be restricted throughout construction, Balboa Park Communications Director Debbie Petruzzelli said they want the public to know the park is still very much open for business.

“We’re working hard to get the message out that the park is still accessible on the east side,” Petruzzelli said. “There will also be a small, narrow pathway along the bridge that will still be there for pedestrians and bicyclists. That path will be about the size of a sidewalk, so cyclists will be asked to walk their bikes across because it won’t be very wide.”

Petruzzelli said the park will continue to provide additional information to the public as it becomes available.

“As construction progresses we’ll be posting specifics on our website about which side of the bridge will be open as well as some of the alternative bike routes that are available to those who prefer to ride their bikes into the park as opposed to walking them across,” she said.

The museums and theatres that lie in the heart of the Plaza de Panama, which has been newly dubbed Balboa Park West End, have said they plan to continue to deliver events and cultural experiences throughout the Cabrillo Bridge retrofit.

Balboa Park West End comprises Mingei International Museum, The San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, The Old Globe and Timken Museum of Art.

Those interested in visiting West End attractions will be able to take advantage of alternate parking and transportation options that will be available throughout construction, including free parking in the lots along the east side of Balboa Park near Park Blvd. and a new, free tram system.

These vehicles will depart from Tram Central, next to the large parking lots near Inspiration Point and will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The trams are expected to depart every 10 to 12 minutes and will drop passengers off at a station in the Plaza de Panama.

Although the bulk of disruptions will take place along the surface of the bridge, CalTrans said there will be occasional closures of SR 163 during non-peak hours.

“The main thing we want motorists to know is that the majority of this work will happen at night during lower traffic times,” Cartagena said. “Any closures to one or both lanes of SR 163 will be available well in advance.”

Construction is expected to complete by Apr. 30.