San Andreas, CA – Bridge replacement work on Highway 12 in the San Andreas area of Calaveras County will take two years to complete and cause traffic delays.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) reports that the construction began on Monday (5/1/26) at the North Fork Calaveras River bridge. The state has hired Steelhead Constructors out of Redding for the $17 million project. The proposed replacement bridge would have two 12-foot lanes, two 8-foot shoulders, and new bridge railings to meet current standards.
The work will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1-A will be the removal of the old bridge, including bridge demolition and replacement, a new roadway alignment, paving, and striping. According to Caltrans, “Motorists should expect daytime, one-way traffic control Mondays through Fridays during phase 1-A of this project,” stated Caltrans officials, which could mean up to 15-minute delays. Phase 1-B will use traffic lights and signage for traffic control, with shorter delay times.
Caltrans did not give a breakdown of how long each phase will take, but the entire project is anticipated to be completed in December 2028. Caltrans added, “The work schedule is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/materials, and/or construction-related issues.”
