Murray Street Bridge to Return to One-Lane, Eastbound-Only March 10
Published on March 09, 2026
Beginning on the morning of March 10, the City of Santa Cruz will return the Murray Street Bridge to a one-lane, eastbound-only traffic configuration following a temporary two-way traffic pilot.
On March 2, a one-lane, two-way signal pilot was implemented in response to community interest in restoring two-way access across the bridge during construction and improving travel to and from the Seabright and Harbor areas.
Since implementation, City staff have closely monitored traffic operations, safety, congestion, and access, while gathering feedback from community members. Throughout the pilot, staff observed serious safety concerns, as well as significant congestion and extended travel times, particularly during peak periods, along with traffic backups on surrounding streets.
Despite adjustments to signal timing during the pilot period, staff observed instances of unsafe travel behavior, including vehicles and bicyclists entering the bridge against the signal and drivers making illegal U-turns while delayed in traffic. Congestion at nearby intersections also underscored public safety considerations and the importance of maintaining reliable access for emergency responders.
Based on these observations and community feedback, the City will return the bridge to the previous eastbound-only configuration, which provided more consistent traffic flow during construction.
The two-way setup was always intended to be temporary and evaluated in real time, allowing the City to test potential improvements and adjust based on actual conditions and community input.
The City also recognizes that community members have suggested alternative approaches, such as alternating travel directions at different times of day. These approaches were considered, but do not resolve the underlying safety concerns created by opposing traffic directions on the bridge and will not be implemented.
The return to one-lane, eastbound-only traffic is a temporary configuration ahead of the next full bridge closure and upcoming construction phases. Additional full closures will be required during upcoming construction phases to complete critical infrastructure work.
A second full closure of the Murray Street Bridge is scheduled for June through mid-September 2026 and is expected to last approximately 3.5 months. This closure is required to relocate a regional wastewater pipeline that serves approximately 35,000 residents and must occur during the summer months when wastewater flows are lowest.
Two additional short full closures are planned later in the project: one week in February 2027 and two weeks in December 2027.
The Murray Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit and Barrier Replacement Project is a long-term infrastructure investment designed to improve public safety, seismic resilience, and multimodal access. Improvements include wider bike lanes, a two-way pedestrian path, upgraded traffic barriers, and relocation and upsizing of a regional sewer force main serving multiple communities.
The project began in January 2025 and remains on schedule, with completion anticipated in January 2028. Construction typically occurs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with occasional Saturday work as needed. View the project's visual guide for an overview of completed work, upcoming construction phases, and future planned closures.