Dry Creek Bridge Project Complete!

In a race with the weather, rain and snow appeared for a while to have won, but our contractor M. Peters, Inc. put on a good show! Starting on October 1st, Peters’ crews tore out the old bridge, excavated the existing grade, placed and formed the foundation, placed fill and packed the adjoining trail surface. By November 13 the ground was wet and slippery for both men and machines. An Atmospheric River arrived on November 19th - rain and snow completely shut down work.

Determined to finish the job, Mr. Peters watched the weather, found a dry period, and jumped on it. His crew returned to the job and finished it. Jerry Harmon, project manager and GSRTA President, told us that “… there is a bit of trail and creek bank to repair in the bridge vicinity, but we’ll be able to open that section of the trail in the spring.”

The Great Shasta Rail Trail Association (GSRTA) is deeply grateful to the project’s many supporters, especially the Sierra Nevada Conservancy which originally funded the project in 2019 and the McConnell Fund of the Community Foundation of the North State whose grants filled much of the gap between actual costs and projected (in 2017) costs. Individual donors - participants in our Giving Tuesday campaign, supporters who have made monthly gifts for many years, and trail users who visit us when they can paid for a large portion of the project as well. THANK YOU!!!

The completion of the Dry Creek Bridge Replacement Project will allow the GSRTA to open another 23 miles of beautiful rail-trail. Come out this spring and enjoy the switch-backed trail that will treat you to vistas that are an outdoor treat!

The next GSRTA project - rehabilitation of the Lake Britton Bridge - will be a huge undertaking, but people can hike, bike, and ride across that famous site the rail-trail link between McCloud and Burney will be complete. Grant writing will start in the spring.

Please send inquiries and/or comments to askus@greatshastarailtrail.org.