New North Street bridge dedicated

DEDICATION: Shasta County and Anderson officials - from left, Leonard Moty, Linda Hartman, Norma Comnick, Dick Dickerson, Glenn Hawes, Patrick Minturn, Melissa Hunt and Les Baugh - gather to cut the ceremonial ribbon.

A dedication ceremony was held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, in Anderson to mark completion of the nearly $24 million, four-lane North Street/Airport Road bridge across the Sacramento River that replaced an aging and dangerously narrow two-lane structure.

Anderson City Councilwomen Norma Comnick and Melissa Hunt were among the eight local and county dignitaries who shivered and smiled in spite of the 40 degree temperature.

Since 1850, when a ferry was established at that point, the river crossing has played a key role in moving people and goods, noted Pat Minturn, director of public works for Shasta County. In 1886, the ferry was replaced with the first of many bridges and named Anderson Freebridge.

Today, the bridge is 70 feet wide and 1,450 feet long. Built in six spans of variable depth, the concrete box girder bridge is further strengthened by post-tensioning - woven strands of steel cable running through the entire structure and anchored to large concrete blocks on either end, Minturn explained in a background briefing to county supervisors who signed off on the project earlier that same morning.

In 2000, the California legislature approved the statewide Transportation Congestion Relief Program. Redding City Councilman Dick Dickerson, then serving in the State Assembly, inserted $3 million into the bill and earmarked those funds for bridge replacement. In 2006, the SHASTEC Redevelopment Agency provided another $1 million to expand the road widening work to Dersch Road while federal funds provided the balance for a total cost of $23.6 million.

Plans and specifications for the new bridge were approved in September 2007, with a construction bid awarded to Shasta Constructors, Inc., on Nov. 27, 2007.

Work on the project was completed several months ahead of schedule and nearly $6 million under the total funds originally allocated for the project.