Bridges over Lake Hodges

[jethrosire]

We are currently looking for articles and photos of the bridges over Lake Hodges.  Special thanks to Janet Coles for this information. 

From the information I've been able to glean, these are the various
bridges that have supported roads/highways over Lake Hodges:

1) Bridge built to accomodate Inland Mission Road (constructed ca.
1908-1910, purported under San Diego's first highway engineer, Austin B.
Fletcher). This bridge was apparently destroyed in 1916 due to flooding.
(source: "3 Lake Hodges bridges have spanned the decades," Rancho Bernardo
News, Oct. 18, 1990, p. A13.)

2) Bernardo Station Bridge (dedicated Sept. 19, 1919).  Inland Mission
Road (and this bridge) became part of the state highway system in 1931
(designated as state route 77 and 3 years later as US 395). The bridge
appears in the first bridge list compiled by the Division of Highways in
1935 as bridge no. 57-40, Lake Hodges Bridge. Torn down in 1968. (sources:
"3 Lake Hodges bridges have spanned the decades," Rancho Bernardo News,
Oct. 18, 1990, p. A13; 1935 Division of Highways bridge list; Caltrans
bridge information system).

3) Lake Hodges Bridge (constructed 1955). Built when US 395 was realigned.
Contract no. 54-11VC31, bridge no. 57-40. The old bridge (Bernardo
Station/Lake Hodges) was left standing as an alternate until 1968.
(Sources: "What's old is new at Lake Hodges," San Diego Union-Tribune,
Jan. 7, 2006; Caltrans bridge information system)

4) Lake Hodges Bridge (constructed 1969). Replaced 1955 structure.
Contract no. 11-037764.  Widened in 1981 when Interstate 15 replaced
Highway 395 (contract no. 11-105673). Bridge no. 57-0040 (L & R, double
structure) (Sources: "What's old is new at Lake Hodges," San Diego
Union-Tribune, Jan. 7, 2006; Caltrans bridge information system)

5) Lake Hodges Bridge (constructed 2008).  Replaced 1969 bridge. Contract
no. 11-080924. Bridge no. 57-1134 (L & R). (Source: Caltrans bridge
information system).

I'm not sure about the first bridge, given that I've found no confirmation
in other sources and there were other inaccuracies in the article where I
found the reference. I've contacted the Escondido History Center to see if
they have any information about this bridge, can confirm its existence,
who built it and when.


Janet Coles
Supervising Librarian
Transportation Library and History Center
California Department of Transportation