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Second bridge design hits permitting snag, council told; sewer-main resilience becomes a near-term concern
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Summary
City staff presented a 60% design for the second London Bridge-area bridge and roadway, citing a $35.5 million state appropriation and a projected early‑2027 construction start. Arizona State Parks' Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) title conversion could add 6–8 months to the schedule; council and residents also pressed staff to inspect the 20‑plus‑year‑old sewer/force main under the channel.
Lake Havasu City staff and their consultants presented a 60% design submittal for the city’s planned second bridge and associated roadway improvements on April 14, detailing alignment changes, value engineering and schedule risks.
Public Works Director Ron Fagan and Capital Project Manager Jason Hart said the design team has constrained bridge girder heights, reduced retaining‑wall needs and retained a 10‑foot multi‑use path while providing two 13‑foot vehicle lanes. Hart said the design changes — including an angled crossing — reduced bridge length and saved millions in estimated cost. "We actually have 2 13 foot lanes right now... and a nice 10 foot wide multi use path," John Roland, the design project manager, said.
The council was told the project has a dedicated $35.5 million state appropriation for an emergency‑evacuation bridge. Mayor and staff noted the appropriation must be used for the second‑bridge project as written in the enabling legislation; interest earned on the fund has been tracked separately and rolled into the project account.
Staff warned that a title‑conversion process tied to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) — a requirement flagged by Arizona State Parks — could delay issuance of the U.S. Coast Guard’s environmental assessment and permit by six to eight months. "We were told that it was potentially gonna add another 6 to 8 months to the process," Ron Fagan said, describing ongoing biweekly meetings with state parks to resolve the issue.
Council members and commenters raised operational and safety questions: Councilmember Jim Dolan said he has not heard broad public demand for the bridge outside island residents and developers, and he reiterated concerns about sewer infrastructure. City staff confirmed the island force main is more than 20 years old and will be inspected; Capital Program Manager Jason Hart said a camera inspection and condition assessment are planned. Utilities staff noted that the existing welded steel force main has shown no pressure loss and there is a program in place to evaluate the line.
Residents and council members urged coordinating corridor studies and avoiding premature lane striping or "road diets" without corridor‑level alternatives analysis. Staff said corridor studies were intentionally moved into the project list as a next step to evaluate trade‑offs before making final lane configuration decisions.
Schedule and next steps: The team expects a 90% bridge design by June and hopes for the U.S. Coast Guard EA and permit by July, subject to LWCF clearance; if delays occur, construction could slip beyond the targeted early‑2027 start. Staff will return with continued design updates, the 90% submittal and, later, contract documents for construction procurement.
