The 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck near Fernbridge on Dec. 20, 2022, damaged a State Route 211 bridge. This photo shows initial repairs made to the damaged bridge deck looking east from the west abutment.
By Manny Machado
District 1 public information officer
State Route 211 at Fernbridge in Humboldt County was reopened just 40 hours after sustaining damage in a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck in the early morning of Dec. 20, 2022. The quake impacted Rio Dell, Fortuna, Ferndale, Eureka and other surrounding North Coast communities. Two deaths and 12 injuries were reported.
Within an hour following the first quake, Caltrans District 1 crews were already on scene in Fernbridge. They closed State Route 211 to traffic while inspectors assessed the extent of the damage to the bridge structure that sits above the Eel River. The 1,320-foot-long arch bridge opened in 1911 and is the longest functional poured concrete bridge still in operation, connecting Ferndale to U.S. Highway 101.
Caltrans resident engineer Tai Morgan-Marbet is a trained safety assessment program inspector. Having responded to natural disasters including the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, this was his first earthquake response. He described the scene after arriving at Fernbridge. “Engineers went around in the dark with a lot of flashlights underneath and on top of the bridge to assess what the damage was to piers and the bridge decks and taking pictures. We then came up with a gameplan as to what to do next.”
During the quake, the ground moved from the bridge approach, causing the asphalt to crumble.
District 1 photoThere was damage to the bridge’s deck and underlying structure and $6 million in emergency funding was allocated to bring in a contractor as quickly as possible for repairs, repaving the road and adding additional support to the bridge’s approaches. Caltrans hired Sacramento-based Myers & Sons Construction for the repairs work. They mobilized equipment and personnel to get onsite the same day. A Structure Maintenance and Investigations unit arrived from Sacramento and determined repairs could be safely made with one-way control traffic in place and the bridge was reopened the following evening.
“The response was quick and is going really smooth,” said Morgan-Marbet. “It’s awesome to see how everyone was able to get together and help the public by getting this main access route out to Ferndale open. It’s fantastic to see.”
For a permanent solution, a comprehensive repair plan is being developed for Fernbridge. All District 1 bridges, overcrossings, and roadways were inspected following the quakes to ensure safety for the traveling public.