Construction underway for Atascadero’s Centennial Bridge & Plaza Project
Construction has officially begun on the long-awaited Centennial Bridge and Plaza Project. An official groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the project’s commencement will be held at the East Mall and Palma Ave. side of the bridge location on April 28 at 2 p.m.
Currently, the contractor is completing the preparatory items of work which include tree removals, vegetative clearing in construction areas and demolition of existing improvements. Additionally, the City is coordinating with multiple utility companies for the relocation of their facilities.
One significant enhancement included in this project will be the replacement of the existing city hall parking lot located at the corner of Lewis Avenue and East Mall. In order to complete the planned improvements more efficiently and to keep the public safe during construction activities, the parking lot will be closed beginning Thursday, April 27. It is expected that the newly constructed parking lot will be available for use in late summer/early fall.
The city’s Public Works Department is working closely with the contractor, construction manager and downtown stakeholders to make sure that circulation and parking impacts are kept to a minimum as much as possible during construction. While some short-term impacts are expected, the long-term benefits for Atascadero residents and the downtown businesses are significant.