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Murrieta council extends emergency declaration for Hayes Avenue Bridge as staff seeks engineering fix
Summary
City engineers told the council that regulatory rejection of a proposed box culvert and a conflict with a Western Municipal Water District pipeline have delayed repairs. Council unanimously extended the emergency declaration while staff pursues a steel arch span and evaluates a temporary repair to restore limited access.
Murrieta city engineers urged the City Council to extend an emergency declaration for the unsafe Hayes Avenue Bridge over Miller Canyon Creek, citing regulatory setbacks and an underground water main that blocks the preferred repair method.
"We would be looking at construction sometime in mid‑March," said City Engineer Jeff Hitch, describing a pivot from a box culvert design to a manufactured steel arch span after regulators declined to approve the emergency permit for the original plan. Hitch said the arch would be manufactured offsite and craned into place but that an existing Western Municipal Water District supply line runs under the west bridge approach and cannot carry footing loads, forcing staff to rework foundations.
Hitch outlined tradeoffs: waiting for Western to relocate the water line could take 12–18 months, while a limited temporary decking repair to support smaller vehicles (roughly a 20,000‑pound capacity) could restore local access sooner but still would not carry a fire engine. He estimated a temporary band‑aid decking repair at approximately $250,000 and said the full arch option would require 6 weeks of design and 8–10 weeks to manufacture the span.
Council members pressed staff for specifics on safety, timing and community impact. "The community is asking questions and a bit upset about why this is taking so long," Council Member DeForest said, asking staff to prioritize options that restore practical access for residents and first responders.
Hitch said staff would meet the following day with Western Municipal Water District to present a concept for protecting the pipeline and hoped to secure sign‑off so the design and purchase of the arch could proceed under the city manager's authority. He recommended extending the emergency declaration to preserve the ability to use emergency procedures if necessary.
Council member DeForest moved, and Mayor Pro Tem John Lavelle seconded, to extend the emergency declaration; the motion passed unanimously, 5–0.
Next steps: staff will report back on the Western Municipal Water District meeting and, if the utility signs off on the concept, begin a roughly six‑week design period followed by procurement and manufacture of the arch span. If Western does not approve the concept, staff said they will revisit temporary repair options and return to council with cost and schedule recommendations.
