The City of Capitola is considering replacing the heavily traveled Stockton Avenue Bridge that spans Soquel Creek in the heart of the village.
Constructed in 1934, the beam bridge with three openings and two support piers is prone to trap large woody debris during heavy rainfall, which historically causes flooding by blocking the bridge.
Public Works Director Jessica Kahn said that unlike the upstream bridges at Soquel Drive and Highway 1, the Stockton Bridge has smaller spans, increasing the risk of debris accumulation and flooding.
Due to its vulnerability, it has now been identified as a critical at-risk facility in the city’s 2013 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. In 2016, city officials completed a study to assess the potential impact of debris flow on the bridge during a catastrophic flooding event. The memorandum recommended the installation of debris fins to guide debris through the larger center span of the bridge.
The Department of Water Resources has allocated funding in the Budget Act of 2022 to the city to assist in financing the design, permitting and construction of debris diverters on the Stockton Avenue Bridge.
A chief goal, if the city decides to move ahead with a replacement, is to develop a bridge that does not rely on piers that stand in the creek.
