Highway 49 Bridge Finally Collapses After Decades of Predictions

Nevada City, CA — The historic highway 49 bridge built-in 1927 has finally collapsed into the South Yuba River, confirming over 50 years of fears by locals that the bridge was doomed. No injuries were reported.

For decades, many Nevada County residents were convinced that “this is the year” that the old tourist attraction would tumble into the raging winter waters of the Yuba River. With each passing rainstorm, locals would predict the demise of the historic bridge.

At the end of every rainy season, the fact that the bridge survived only heightened the anxieties of locals.

“I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen that the bridge’s time has come,” said long-time Nevada City resident Toby “Doob” Carnvale at the popular downtown bar the Mineshaft. “I said it in 1983, 1997, 2010, and even this year. But would anyone listen to me? Nope. Never. I bet they’ll listen to me now, I’ll tell ya.”

2018/19 has featured about average rainfall for the Sierra Nevada Foothills; however, above-average snowfall in the mountains, coupled with recent warm rains, has fueled flooding speculation. When that didn’t materialize, Nevada County residents took to social media to vent their anxieties.


“I just kept waiting and waiting for the bridge to fail,” said Cottage Street Marg Brandt between puffs of her Pall Mall cigarette. “I told anyone who’d listen to stay off that bridge. Then, when no one would listen, I started posting pictures of the 1997 flood to scare people. You know, that’s when the water came up over the bridge. I’m scared, so I figured they should be scared too.  Anyhow, I’m not one to say I told you so, but I told you so.”

CalTrans says it plans on rebuilding the bridge using funds recouped from the now-defunct California High-Speed Rail project. However, they provided no timeline for completion.

Randall 'fink' Finkelstein
Randall 'fink' Finkelsteinhttps://www.broadstreetbeacon.com
Fink is a man of many words, and many web links. He likes to argue and seldom loses. Mostly because he’s well informed. And somewhat gassy.

More from author

Related posts

Advertisment

Latest posts

Healthcare Execs Vow to Do Better By Building Bulletproof Boardrooms and Automating Claim Denials

Healthcare execs fortify boardrooms with titanium desks, deny claims faster with AI, and sip champagne on yachts, all while dismissing public outrage. Patients suffer, CEOs profit. Welcome to “healing,” corporate style.

Texas Elementary School Under Fire for Staging Old Testament Murder Play

A Texas elementary school stages a shockingly violent Old Testament reenactment, sparking cheers from evangelicals, outrage from moderates, and a nationwide debate on religion, education, and the boundaries of public faith expression.

Elon Musk’s Dept. of Government Efficiency Demands a $1 Trillion Dollar Budget

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency shocks Washington with a $1 trillion budget request filled with outlandish items like laser-guided detectors and a morale-boosting Dogecoin fund. Musk's ongoing presence at Mar-a-Lago stirs amusement and mild annoyance, with Trump reportedly telling a waiter, "He's your problem now." Public reactions range from raised eyebrows to full-blown cackles in true Monty Python fashion