The Abridged version:
- Stevenson Bridge, known locally as “graffiti bridge,” will reopen Saturday, Oct. 10, after a five-month renovation project.
- The century-old bridge was closed at the beginning of May for erosion control, concrete repair and seismic retrofitting.
- As part of the renovation, officials covered up the graffiti.
Yolo County’s landmark “graffiti bridge” is set to reopen this weekend, but locals may have to find a new nickname for it.
Stevenson Bridge, which links Yolo and Solano counties over Putah Creek, is nearly a century old. Officials closed it at the beginning of May to shore up its foundation, repair concrete and conduct seismic retrofitting.
They also covered up the bridge’s eponymous graffiti.
“It’s a blank canvas,” said Riley Martinson, spokesperson for Solano County, which is taking the lead on the project.
Although there will be ongoing construction in the vicinity of the bridge, the crossing itself will open Saturday.
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A local attraction
Stevenson Bridge has been in use since the 1920s, ferrying residents, farmers and cyclists across Putah Creek between Winters and Davis.
Over the decades, some of those passersby stopped to inscribe messages on the bridge’s gray concrete facade, creating a colorful patchwork paint job.
The unique feature made the bridge a well-known local attraction.
On a Facebook page dedicated to the bridge, contributors have posted dozens of photos from all angles, including couples’ pictures, glamor shots and senior portraits.
A different social media post announcing the bridge’s renovation in April was met with an outpouring of admiration.
“Someone should print a book with all the cool pics and stories about the bridge. It’s iconic,” one commenter said.
A connector for cyclists
Stevenson Bridge is a crucial connector for the crowds of cyclists that make their way between Davis and Winters on weekends.
Saturday’s reopening will be in time for the Davis Bike Club’s Foxy Fall Century Ride, which is one of the largest organized rides in the region and will take place Oct. 17.
The route crosses Stevenson Bridge on its way from Davis to the mountains west of Winters.
Event organizers had been planning an alternate route but can now return to the traditional ride.
