Current Traffic Impacts and Detours

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MSB Project Phasing and Schedule

Project Overview

The City of Santa Cruz Murray Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit and Barrier Replacement Project aims to enhance public safety, improve seismic resilience, and upgrade traffic barriers on the bridge. The project will install new piles, extend the existing pile caps to incorporate the new piles, construct a new line of columns, place new bent caps, and widen the bridge deck.

In addition to making the bridge more resilient to earthquakes, the project will result in a bridge deck with 6-foot-wide bike lanes and a 7.5-foot-wide sidewalk along the south (ocean) side to support a two-way pedestrian path of travel. The current elevated curbs along the bike lanes will be replaced with standard 6-inch-high curbs to improve the bicycle user experience. In addition, the current solid concrete vehicular barrier will be replaced with see-through barrier rails, allowing for better harbor and ocean views. A new County sewer force main serving Live Oak, Capitola, Soquel, and Aptos will also be upsized and included in the project

The Murray Street Bridge is the last bridge in the City of Santa Cruz that requires a seismic retrofit. Other City bridges were completed in the early 2000s. This essential infrastructure project began in January 2025 and is scheduled to be completed by January 2028. The project cost estimate is $50 million.

 

Traffic Impacts and Detours

Please note that the following dates and durations are tentative and subject to change. Construction signage and official city communication channels will provide advance notice of closures.
Westbound Lane Closure

Beginning March 24, 2025, the westbound lane of the bridge is closed for vehicles and bicycles and will remain closed until the project is completed in January 2028.

  • Eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic will remain open (outside of full bridge closures).
  • Two-way pedestrian access across the bridge will remain open (outside of full bridge closures).
  • View the detour map for additional details.
Full Bridge Closures

Beginning the week of June 23, 2025, both the westbound and eastbound lanes of the Murray Street Bridge are closed for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians to facilitate demolition and construction activities. The full bridge closure is scheduled to last roughly seven and a half (7.5) months and will reopen to eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic in February 2026.

  • Two-way pedestrian access across the bridge will reopen in February 2026.
  • The westbound lane will remain closed until the project is completed in January 2028.
  • View the detour map for full details.
A second full bridge closure is expected to start early to mid-2026 and last three (3) months to allow essential project work to continue. 
Harbor Access Path Closures
To facilitate ongoing construction work, sections of the harbor access path will be intermittently closed to bike and pedestrian traffic. The paths are located under the east and west sides of the bridge and connect the north and south sides of the harbor. Only one access path will be closed at a time for construction-related activities.
  • Beginning July 14, 2025, the east harbor access path is closed and is expected to reopen in January 2026.
  • The west harbor access path will be intermittently closed for the first half of 2027.
  • The east harbor access path will be intermittently closed for the second half of 2027.
Detour Information

The city is actively coordinating with county officials to help mitigate traffic impacts related to detours and is working towards reducing traffic impacts as much as possible during the project.

Full Bridge Closure Detours

During full bridge closures, vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians traveling in both eastbound and westbound directions will be detoured around the bridge. View the detour map for full details. 

  • Vehicles will be detoured around the bridge closure through Soquel Ave. via Seabright Ave. and 7th Ave.
  • Bicycles will be detoured across Arana Gulch/Broadway via Seabright Ave. and 7th Ave.
  • Pedestrians will be detoured around the north harbor.

Westbound Lane Closure Detours

During westbound lane closures, vehicles and bicycles traveling westbound will be detoured around the bridge. View the detour map for additional details.

  • Vehicles will be detoured around the bridge closure through Soquel Ave. via Seabright Ave. and 7th Ave.
  • Bicycles will be detoured across Arana Gulch/Broadway via Seabright Ave. and 7th Ave. 
  • Two-way pedestrian access across the bridge will remain open (outside of full bridge closures).
  • Eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic will reman open (outside of full bridge closures).

MSB West Bound Lane Closure Detour Map

Harbor Impacts

Boat Traffic

Boats will have continued access under the bridge throughout the project, ensuring minimal disruption to this mode of transport.

Harbor Water Taxi

The free Santa Cruz Harbor Water Taxi operates during the summer, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, on Thursdays, Fridays, weekends, and holidays. Learn more.

 

Construction Impacts

Please note that the following dates and durations are tentative and subject to change.

Construction Activities
  • Construction hours are Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Activities such as pile driving, excavation, and heavy equipment operation will generate noise.
  • Dust control measures, including water spraying and covered stockpiles, will be implemented to reduce airborne particles.
Pile Driving

Construction work includes pile driving, a process where long steel tubes, called “piles,” are driven deep into the ground to form a strong foundation. This involves a crane-mounted hammer repeatedly striking the hollow steel piles, which will generate loud noise. The piles will be driven deep into the bedrock beneath the harbor.

  • The first round of pile driving is scheduled to take place from July 24, 2025, through October 2025, during construction hours.
  • The second round of pile driving is scheduled to take place from June 15, 2026, through October 2026, during construction hours.

 

Public Safety and Emergency Services

The work zone will be fenced and secured throughout the project. Do not enter construction areas for safety reasons. The City is working with local agencies to ensure that transportation services, road maintenance, and emergency response planning align with project timelines and anticipated traffic disruptions.   

 

Environmental Controls

Wildlife protections are in place and project environmental measures include, but are not limited to bat roosting surveys, nesting bird surveys, and fish habitat monitoring to minimize ecological impact.