Rustic Canyon Bridge Project Raises $145,000/Needs to Reach $250,000

The effort to build a new Rustic Canyon Bridge has raised $145,000 towards its goal, but the project needs an additional $105,000 to cover the cost of a replacement bridge, according to the board of The Uplifters Roads, Inc., which is working to replace the bridge.

Currently, the bridge is a safety hazard that lists to one side and has rotting wood. The permitting process for a new bridge has already begun, and construction is expected to start in early 2027. As of today, the project is 58 percent funded, according to the board. Donations can be sent through the project website—rusticcanyonbridge.com.

According to the bridge project website: “The bridge is privately owned by the 70 easement holders on Upper Latimer Road. It is not owned by the City of Los Angeles or Will Rogers State Park. Because it is privately owned, those easement holders are legally and financially responsible for the reconstruction. That said, this bridge is used every day by the broader Rustic Canyon and Santa Monica community for walking and biking. It is a vital connection between Upper Latimer Road and Sunset Blvd and has been enjoyed by neighbors beyond the easement for decades. That is why we reached out to the community. We felt it was right to give everyone who loves and uses this bridge the opportunity to contribute. The project will be completed regardless of how much the broader community contributes. If donations fall short, the easement owners make up the difference. The bridge will be repaired. Community donations simply reduce the financial burden on those 70 property owners and every dollar from neighbors genuinely helps.”

The total bridge cost, which was attained through a bidding process with licensed, insured contractors, is as follows:

Excel Bridge Manufacturing Co. — $89,000

Boulder Contracting Company — $84,000

Architecture & Permits — $35,000

Grading & Asphalt Repair — $15,000

Structural Engineering — $15,000

Delivery to Site — $5,000

Contingency — $10,000

Total: $253,000‍ ‍

A previous Canyon News article on the history of the bridge is at this link, while an article on the board’s efforts to replace it is here.

A rendering of the pedestrian bridge that would replace the current deteriorating bridge.