World War II U.S. Bridge to Be Destroyed in San Diego

From the December San Diego 760 AM Talk Radio "70-year-old bridge to get axed."

It was quickly built in the early months of World War II, but has been unused for many years.  Plans call for it to be torn down in April, 2011.

The Consolidated Truck Road Bridge spanned over the Pacific between the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and the aircraft factory near Old Town, now called the Space and Naval Warfare System Center.

It was built in a big hurry in 1942 to connect the Consolidated Aircraft factory with military installations and other manufacturing plants along the Pacific Highway, then called US-101.

During the war, tractors used the bridge to ferry engines from factories near Lindbergh Field over US-101 to the big airplane construction hangars that still stand near Old Town.  It was camouflaged for fear of Japanese bombers.

At the same spot where it crosses the freeway, an nderpass carries Witherby St. under the Pacific Coast Highway, making this San Diego's first multi-level interchange.  US-101 was eliminated in the early 1970s with the construction of I-5.

Airline construction had ended decades before that and Caltrans has rate the bridge as seismically unsafe.

Always Hate to see Something That Old Torn Down.  --GreGen