Mare Island Causeway still broken weeks later, disrupting boat traffic from Vallejo to Napa

VALLEJO – The Mare Island Causeway Bridge is still unable to be raised and lowered to allow boat traffic on the Napa River, two weeks after city officials said the problem would be fixed, with no new estimate for repairs.

City officials said on May 24, that the bridge, a vertical lift drawbridge first constructed in 1934, could not be raised and lowered and that the city had elected to keep it in the “down” position to allow pedestrian and vehicle traffic, while blocking most boat traffic. 

City officials said in May that they expected the problem to be fixed by May 31, but said on Friday that they were still unable to raise the bridge, and had no estimate for its restoration. 

Recreational vessels frequently traverse the Mare Island Strait en route to Napa and need the bridge raised to clear it, so the closure of the bridge has effectively prevented any boat traffic to the Napa River. Even small sailboats that the Vallejo Yacht Club uses for sailing lessons cannot clear the causeway in the down position.

One boat owner traveling to the Bottlerock Music Festival in Napa last month told the Napa Valley Register that he was able to clear the bridge by waiting for low tide, and even then only had a yard to spare.

"We faced a decision to keep the bridge either elevated or lowered," City Manager Andrew Murray said in May. "Given that the safety of our residents is our top priority, we chose to keep the bridge in the lowered position to ensure our emergency vehicles can pass without delay in the event of an emergency."

On Friday, city officials said that the city is now working with Hardesty & Hanover, the engineering firm that originally designed the bridge, who will send engineers to Vallejo on Tuesday to help identify and fix the problem. 

City officials said that obsolete parts in the bridge's aging electrical system are a major cause of the failure but that the city’s Public Works department along with Hardesty & Hanover engineers will also check for mechanical and structural issues.

“One of the parts required for the repair has arrived this week and more parts will arrive early next week,” city officials said. “Once all of the parts arrive and the team has fully assessed the system, repairs will begin immediately.”

Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hardesty & Hanover referred questions to the city.

The bridge has frequently had problems disrupting both boat and vehicle traffic to Mare Island. In April 2023, it required repairs because it was not seated correctly, leaving a 2-inch gap in the westbound traffic lane.

The city has said for years that the bridge is in need of repairs, painting, sidewalk replacement, and marine traffic safety improvements. The city had previously said that it expected to start a $13.8 million repair program in 2020, but now expects it will start next year. Deferred maintenance throughout Vallejo’s waterfront has made things increasingly difficult for boaters.

Gretchen Zimmermann contributed reporting to this article.