30-Day Closure of State Route 12 near Agua Caliente
In Sonoma County for Bridge Replacement
Closure begins September 5, 2023, for replacement of Hooker Creek Bridge
SONOMA COUNTY- As part of the Sonoma and Hooker Creek replacement project, Caltrans will close State Route 12 (SR-12) between Madrone Road and Agua Caliente Road for up to 30 days to allow work crews to demolish and rebuild the Hooker Creek Bridge. The bridge is located northwest of the city of Sonoma in the “Springs” area of Sonoma County, named for Agua Caliente, Fetter Hots Springs, and Boise Hot Springs.
Through-traffic will be detoured around the closed bridge via Madrone Road, Arnold Drive, and Agua Caliente Road. (See detour map.) Local traffic will be allowed as far as the closed bridge.
Unlike the Sonoma Creek Bridge, a steel bridge, strong and flexible enough to accommodate at least one lane of traffic during its replacement, the Hooker Creek Bridge is composed of concrete and is too brittle to be demolished in stages, and thus cannot accommodate traffic during its replacement.
Bridge Scour
The Sonoma Creek and Hooker Creek Bridges are victims of bridge scour, a process where fast-flowing water whirlpools around the bridge columns, eroding the creek bed that supports the bridge footings and columns. Over the years, the bridge’s structural integrity can be strained to the point where replacing the bridge is the best solution.
For more information, go to the project website: 12 Hooker Creek and Sonoma Creek Bridge Replacement Project