OTHER
Imperial County Public Works Picacho Road Bridge report, Item 38 (Oct. 20, 2026)
About this source
Imperial County Public Works' staff report in the Oct. 20 Board agenda, Item 38. It records the partial-demolition and Reclamation-review chronology and reports the design engineer's Sept. 30 finding that current data indicates Picacho cannot be repaired and can only be replaced. The same report says final certification of the bridge condition is still being completed. The appended resolution has blank adoption fields and does not establish the Board's vote.
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- Other
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- Primary source
- Source date
- Not established in the reviewed record
Relevant excerpt / notes
The report is the county department account. The underlying Reclamation correspondence and completed signed engineering certification were not obtained. It supplies no final replacement cost, funding plan or schedule.
Related claims 2
- UnverifiedFunding for a full Picacho Road Bridge replacement is secured.
The county report identifies a likely replacement but no complete replacement funding plan; an older $8.3 million figure described a repair project.
- VerifiedImperial County's Oct. 20 report says current data indicates Picacho cannot be repaired and can only be replaced, while final certification is still being completed.
The county report attributes a preliminary replacement assessment to its design engineer and says final condition certification is pending.
Timeline events 9
- Imperial County declares Picacho bridge emergency
Imperial County’s Oct. 20 Public Works report identifies March 18, 2025, as the date the Board declared an emergency over the Picacho Road Bridge through Minute Order 15.
- WSP approves revised Picacho demolition methods
Imperial County’s Public Works report says design engineer WSP approved revised demolition methods on Nov. 24, 2025, and the plans were sent to the Bureau of Reclamation.
- Reclamation clears Picacho partial demolition
Imperial County’s Public Works report says the Bureau of Reclamation cleared partial demolition of the Picacho Road Bridge to proceed on July 2, 2026.
- Picacho partial demolition begins
Imperial County’s Public Works report says partial demolition of the Picacho Road Bridge began on July 22, 2026.
- Cracks found after Picacho deck asphalt is removed
Imperial County’s Public Works report says asphalt was removed from the Picacho Road Bridge deck on Aug. 7, 2026, revealing cracks and spalling in the concrete.
- Picacho concrete curb falls into the canal
Imperial County’s Public Works report says a south-side concrete curb fell into the canal on Aug. 18, 2026. The debris-catching system could not catch it at the low water level.
View 3 more timeline events
- Fallen Picacho curb removed and debris cleared
Imperial County’s Public Works report says the fallen curb was removed from the canal on Sept. 11, 2026, and divers confirmed debris had been cleared.
- County engineer says Picacho likely must be replaced
Imperial County’s Oct. 20 Public Works report says the design engineer’s Sept. 30 review found current data indicates the Picacho Road Bridge cannot be repaired and can only be replaced. Final certification was still being completed.
- Board agenda includes two bridge emergency items
Imperial County’s Arnold Road and Picacho reports were agenda Items 35 and 38 for the Oct. 20, 2026, Board of Supervisors meeting. This package has not verified the Board’s vote or certified actions on either item.
Related articles 3
- ExplainerThe detour bridge into Winterhaven is eroding. Here's what Imperial County says it's doing about it.
With the Picacho Road Bridge closed, the Arnold Road Bridge carries the detour. The county declared an emergency over erosion there in May. Five months later, repair bids were due, and the bridge is still open with weekly inspections.
- NewsThe Quechan Tribe wants a bridge timeline. Imperial County's latest report says Picacho likely can't be repaired.
A supervisor's remark got the headlines. The Quechan Tribal Council's signed statement is mostly about two bridges, and the county's own Oct. 20 report says the closed one will probably have to be replaced.
- ExplainerWhy has the Picacho bridge been closed for 19 months? Imperial County's paperwork tells the story.
A guardrail crash, a federal canal, a shortage of floating platforms, a concrete curb in the water and, finally, an engineer’s finding that the bridge probably can’t be saved. Here’s how a closure “until further notice” turned into a year and a half.
Related topics 1
- Winterhaven's Bridges: Picacho, Arnold Road and the Quechan Nation
The Picacho Road Bridge into the Fort Yuma Quechan Reservation has been closed since March 2025, and the only detour crosses a bridge Imperial County has declared an emergency. We're following the records, the Tribe's requests and what the county does next.