Fruitvale Avenue Railroad Bridge - Oakland

Fruitvale Avenue Railroad Bridge
(Miller-Sweeney Bridge in foreground)
photo from Our Oakland

Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1951, the Fruitvale Avenue Railroad Bridge spans the Oakland Estuary from Oakland to Alameda. Although the bridge is still owned by the Army Corps, the Alameda County Public Works Agency maintains the bridge. Note that one webpage maintained by the Public Works Agency states that the bridge "receives approximately 30 train crossings per month,"¹ even though it actually has not been used since 2000 and is no longer connected to any operating train tracks. At one time the City of Alameda hoped to some day use the bridge for light rail trains connecting Alameda to Oakland, but the City is now working with the Army Corps to have the bridge demolished or seismically reinforced so that it does not fall and damage the adjacent Miller-Sweeney Bridge in an earthquake. Note also that the abandoned rail right-of-way on the Alameda side of the bridge is being transformed into a trail.³

Judson Pacific-Murphy was one of the main contractors for the bridge.⁴

This bridge is immediately adjacent to the Miller-Sweeney Bridge, which carries Fruitvale Avenue over the Estuary.