Fallen tree broke river trail bridge between Salida and Ripon in 2023. It’s back
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A fallen tree in 2023 severed the 220-foot Stanislaus River trail bridge.
- Ripon repaired the bridge for $107,565 using insurance and a steel truss fix.
- Bridge reopening restores bike and pedestrian access between Ripon and Salida.
A trail bridge between Salida and Ripon has reopened, nearly two years after a windblown tree severed it.
The 220-foot span takes hikers and bicyclists across the Stanislaus River, right next to Highway 99. On the north side is Mavis Stouffer Park, a scenic and popular spot stretching two miles upriver. The south side has only a trailhead next to the freeway, about a quarter-mile from Salida’s northernmost homes.
The bridge returned to service in mid-July. It had been out since October 2023, when the tree hit a 65-foot section, according to Our Ripon, a local news site.
It reported that insurance will cover the $107,565 cost of installing the new section, one of several steel trusses. The city of Ripon hired Contech Engineered Solutions for the job. It was delayed while the city considered other options, such as shoring up the damaged portion.
The Ripon Chamber of Commerce welcomed the reopening in a Facebook post July 21: “We’ve already seen so many community members walking, biking and enjoying this beautiful new connection across the river. We can’t wait to see even more of you out there!”
The Modesto Bee mentioned the trail in a May story on places where families can ride bikes away from motor vehicles. It noted that the missing link would soon be restored.
The bridge was completed in 2001 at a cost of about $1.5 million. It had an odd origin.
The sections had been built in Tennessee for a buyer in Florida, but its arch turned out to be lower than in the blueprints. Planners of the Stanislaus River project realized that the bridge would fit just fine and got a discount from the manufacturer.
The bridge closure played an indirect role in a 2024 story about unsafe conditions for bikers and pedestrians in the Modesto area. It featured a cyclist who was injured by a truck on River Road after taking a detour from the trail bridge.
The initial project was funded by Ripon, the San Joaquin Council of Governments, the Stanislaus Council of Governments, California State Parks and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
