MENDOCINO Co., 3/22/24 — A public comment period opened on March 21 for Caltrans’ plans to clean up soil contaminated with lead shavings left from painting work done on the Salmon Creek Bridge in Albion during the 1950s and ‘60s. The cleanup, scheduled to start in 2026, would be the first step in replacing the steel girder bridge, a project slated to start in 2030.
The soil beneath the bridge, including some soil on private property, shows lead contamination beyond acceptable levels for human health. The plan is to remove about 21 million pounds of soil. If each truck averaged 12 tons, that would mean about 862 loads of contaminated soil would be removed. Replacement soil would also be trucked in. The report on soil removal was prepared by Geocon, a consultant, for Caltrans and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). The document does not indicate where the hazardous soil would be deposited. Total lead was reported for 77 soil samples with concentrations ranging from 2.6 to 1,300 mg/kg. Thirteen of those soil samples contained levels of lead contamination above the acceptable levels for commercial/industrial workers of 320 mg/kg.
Replacing the Salmon Creek Bridge and the original plan to replace the Albion River Bridge, located less than a mile away, stirred controversy for the past decade. The Albion River Bridge, the last tall wooden highway bridge in California, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built during World War II out of recycled materials, due to war rationing. Caltrans now says the Albion River Bridge will either be replaced or renovated.
The steel and concrete Salmon Creek Bridge, built during a frenetic post World War II expansion boom, is now considered an inappropriate design, located so close to the ocean and its salty, rust-causing winds. Removal and replacement is the only recommendation. Between 1950 and 1999, lead-based paints were used for a time, and the shavings were not contained when the bridge was sanded down for new paint. Lead contamination has been detected on both private and public property. Cleanup measures include putting caps on private roads and driveways. Contamination under the bridge must be remediated before Caltrans can go forward with replacement plans. The one-lane road that goes under the Salmon Creek Bridge would be widened to allow trucks down below to carry away contaminated soil, and eventually for other work to be done. Bridge inspection reports identify insufficient maintenance as a reason the bridge’s steel top got so rusty that replacement is the only option.
The Geocon study showed elevated lead and zinc levels and determined that removal of the lead-impacted soil was needed on both state and privately owned parcels. Other heavy metals were searched for, but only zinc and lead contamination was found.
The public comment process and a Zoom hearing are being held by the California ) Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC, or Ditzee as it’s commonly called).
The report lists forty plant and animal species of concern that could be found on the site, from Coho Salmon migrating through to Arroyo thickets. “Twenty-two vegetation communities and land cover types were mapped within the Project Site including fir, alder, eucalyptus, cypress and pine trees, various shrub, berry, willow and brush species, dune mat, marsh and grass meadow. Additional land cover types include open water (Salmon Creek), unvegetated beach, landscaped areas, gravel roads, and nonnative tree cover,” the report says.
The report finds no significant impacts to these species or other factors that would require use of the CEQA process (California Environmental Quality Act). The consultant’s report offers three alternatives, including a no-action, or do-nothing alternative, but that option is not recommended. The report makes a strong case for removing the soils and replacing soil with carefully selected fill dirt and compost.
“The Project Site was previously occupied by the town of Whitesboro that was established in the 1870s as a railhead and wharf for loading of cut lumber with no remaining structures in recent times. Review of Caltrans’ maintenance records for the Salmon Creek Bridge indicates that ‘Red Lead’ and ‘Zinc Rich’ paint was utilized in the 1950s and 1960s. Historical bridge paint sandblasting operations (paint removal/preparation using sandblast media) did not include containment measures. Since 1999 bridge painting operations have included 100% containment,” the DTSC report says.
The proposed cleanup details are found here: Salmon Creek Bridge The public comment period runs from March 21 – April 22, 2024 for the draft Remedial Action Plan which proposes to clean up lead in soil.
DTSC will be holding a public meeting to discuss the draft cleanup plan People can join by Zoom or by phone on April 11 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m.
The Zoom link for the meeting is available here. (Meeting ID: 854 1248 5256#, Passcode: 176046) By Phone: (669) 900-6833 (Meeting ID: 854 1248 5256#, Passcode: 176046)
The Albion River Bridge | Caltrans is still on the docket for rehabilitation or replacement, starting in 2027. Several past dates for bridge upgrades to the two bridges have come and gone as the issue has been debated. No heavy metal issues have been identified for the mostly wooden Albion River Bridge.
Salmon Creek Sandblast Waste Abatement Construction would start in 2026 and the Salmon Creek Bridge Replacement Construction Project would commence in 2030. Albion River Bridge Construction is currently on the schedule for 2027, according to information provided Friday by Manny Machado of Caltrans.
Other Highway 1 tall bridges have had project proposed dates change since recently, or in the case of the Hare Creek Bridge upgrade at the south entrance to Fort Bragg, has been removed from the Caltrans timeline.
There will be other public processes before the remediation starts. The following regulatory permits will be obtained for the Salmon Creek Sandblast Waste Abatement Project:
- •California Coastal Commission Coastal Development Permit
- North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board 401 Water Quality Certification
- US Army Corps of Engineers 404 Nationwide Permit 38
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement
- Letters of concurrence from the United States Fish and Wildlife Services and National
- Marine Fisheries Service
- Mendocino County Coastal Development Permit
- Mendocino County Planning and Building Services grading permit
- Mendocino County Air Quality Management District permit
