Noyo River Bridge

The current bridge is the sixth crossing to have been built at the mouth of the Noyo River. Only the two most recent iterations have been high-span designs, carrying traffic above Noyo Cove^[6] at the same elevation as the coastal bluffs on which the majority of the city is located. The distance between the two sides at the cove is over 800 feet, though the river below is less than 100 feet wide. The first four bridges were instead sited 1,000 feet (300 m) east or approximately 1⁄3 mile upriver at one of the few shore-level spaces along the river's length that would permit footings on the riverbanks themselves as it abruptly turns approximately 130° and the navigation channel narrows to less than 30 feet. Prior to the first bridge being built in 1861, river crossings were made on a cable ferry which also operated at the same narrow point in the channel.^[7]

Noyo River Bridge served as the impetus for CalTrans approving an entirely new design specification for bridge railings, one that preserved the sightlines for motorists and passengers to a far greater degree than any approved for use in the state for over 50 years.^[8] The initial design proposal had called for use of the standard freeway overpass configuration that had been in use since the 60s and employed solid concrete barriers on each side measuring 42 inches (110 cm) high that completely obstructed the view of the ocean and harbor for occupants in standard passenger cars.^[9] This prompted a local outcry and attention from the California Coastal Commission who worked with CalTrans for over two years on alternatives that preserved sightlines without negatively impacting safety tests, ultimately resulting in an entirely new "scenic bridge" railing design termed ST-10 being approved for use state-wide and installed on the new Noyo Bridge.