San Luis Obispo County approves temporary bridge at Chiquetti Crossing after safety, farming concerns

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved a contract on Oct. 8 to install a temporary bridge at Chiquetti Crossing, voting 3–2 to award a contractor to place and later remove a temporary span while the county pursues a permanent replacement.

Supporters told the board the closure of the existing crossing has created safety risks for school traffic, emergency response delays and significant disruptions for local farms. “This is way more than that. This is a huge safety problem,” said Tom Ikeda, a third-generation farmer who farms on both sides of the crossing.

The board approved what staff described as a single-installation, single-removal contract with an estimated cost of $656,000; staff said the temporary structure would be installed after the rainy season in spring (roughly March–April) and removed before the next rainy season (November–December) if high flows threatened it. County Public Works Deputy Director John Waddell told supervisors the permanent replacement is expected to cost about $8–9 million and is on track for construction in 2027. “It is about, 8 or…