An old bridge over Dry Creek in eastern Stanislaus County is closed for emergency repairs, the county said.
A news release Thursday said the Crabtree Road Bridge east of Waterford was temporarily closed, effective immediately. Crabtree Road cuts north from Highway 132, east of Modesto Reservoir.
County Public Works said about 20 percent of the 95 stringers holding the deck of the bridge are broken and repairs are needed for safety reasons.
The average daily traffic on the bridge, originally built in 1920, is about 120 vehicles per day, mostly farmers and country residents. The 103-year-old bridge has stop signs on both sides and one lane for traffic to cross.
Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors will consider an emergency declaration to make temporary repairs. There was no estimate on when the bridge will reopen.
The county has worked on a $5.46 million federally funded project to replace the Crabtree Road bridge since approving a contract for engineering services in 2015.
Ken Carlson covers county government and health care for The Modesto Bee. His coverage of public health, medicine, consumer health issues and the business of health care has appeared in The Bee for 15 years.
