Published on January 09, 2026
The City of Santa Cruz will partially reopen the Murray Street Bridge by the end of January, earlier than the previously anticipated February reopening date. The reopening restores limited access across the bridge while construction continues on the Murray Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit and Barrier Replacement Project and marks the conclusion of the longest full closure of the project. A confirmed reopening date will be shared as soon as it is finalized.
As part of the partial reopening, one lane will reopen to vehicles and bicyclists, and two-way pedestrian access across the bridge will be restored.
Following the reopening, the City will continue evaluating additional traffic and access adjustments to support circulation during ongoing construction. Options under review include a short-term, temporary traffic control pilot and weekday flagging operations, with modified traffic patterns during evenings and weekends. Feasibility, operations, and funding considerations are currently being assessed.
Supporting Local Businesses
Throughout construction, Seabright and Harbor-area businesses remain open and accessible. The City continues to prioritize strategies that support local businesses and maintain access during the project. To help support visitation, free two-hour parking is available on Seabright Avenue. Community members are encouraged to continue shopping, dining, and recreating in the Seabright and harbor areas.
Upcoming Full Closures
The City is preparing for a second full closure of the Murray Street Bridge, scheduled for June through August 2026. This closure will last about three months, which is significantly shorter than the current full closure. The closure is required to relocate a regional wastewater pipeline on the south side of the bridge that serves approximately 35,000 residents and must be moved during the summer, when wastewater flows are lowest.
Work on the south side of the bridge cannot proceed until the new pipeline on the north side is fully installed and operating and must occur during specific seasonal windows to protect marine life and ensure worker safety. The next allowable in-water construction period runs from June through October 2026. View the visual project timeline for more details.
Two additional, short full closures are planned later in the project:
Project Information
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, remains on schedule, and is expected to be completed in January 2028. Construction typically occurs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with occasional Saturday work as needed. Visit the project website for more information.
Ashley Hussey Community Relations Specialist (831) 420-5213 ahussey@santacruzca.gov