San Bernardino Opens $244.8M Rebuilt Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge, Iconic Link Restored After Five Years
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All photos by Manny Sandoval: The Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge has been completely rebuilt and ahead of its 1:30 PM opening to traffic, attendees had the opportunity to walk across the brand new structure and pavement.
San Bernardino marked the long-awaited reopening of its historic Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge on August 23 with cheers, applause, and the snip of ribbon, restoring a critical connection that had been closed for nearly five years.
The $244.8 million project, which fully rebuilt the 1934 bridge spanning railroads between West Fifth and West Second streets, reconnects the city’s west side. The bridge was shut down in December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when engineers found its structural safety had fallen to just two percent. Its closure severed the community, leaving businesses, schools, and families struggling with daily detours.
The ceremony brought an emotional return for State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, who secured $31 million in state funding for the project. When she stepped to the podium, she was met with a standing ovation and loud applause — her first public appearance following nearly a year-long health battle. “This bridge was built when my mother was born in 1934, and little by little we saw concrete falling onto railroad tracks,” Gómez Reyes said. “It wasn’t safe, and students couldn’t even take the bus. I’m so happy we can now easily get to all of our local businesses across Mt. Vernon Avenue.”
San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran presented Gómez Reyes with a plaque recognizing her contributions towards the bridge while serving as Assemblymember for the 50th District. The moment underscored how the bridge has long stood as more than just infrastructure, but as a lifeline for the city’s west side.
That lifeline had been frayed for years. The closure cut off access to small businesses, grocery stores, and San Bernardino Valley College. Residents north of the bridge were left traveling long detours or taking the freeway just to buy groceries at El Super, one of the only full-service markets in the area — worsening existing food deserts. “Local businesses have been severely impacted by the closure,” said San Bernardino Community College District Trustee Frank Reyes, husband of Sen. Gómez Reyes. He noted that Mitla’s Café lost up to 15 percent of monthly revenue after the bridge shutdown. “Many of our small businesses in the area have still not recovered, but this project is bridging the community together again.”
For San Bernardino Valley College, the reopening has renewed significance just two days before the start of its 2025/26 academic year. “It’s a really exciting time for SBVC,” said President Dr. Gilbert Contreras. “The re-opening coincides with our 100-year anniversary and mitigates SBVC students from having to travel all the way around the bridge, elevating accessibility.”
The sense of pride and persistence extended across the crowd of more than 1,000 community members. San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said the day’s atmosphere was unlike any other milestone he had attended. “The most important thing is community pride,” Baca said. “I have never seen this level of excitement. Even those who used to live here came back because they were so proud. Today is a victory for the community.”
City Councilwoman Dr. Treasure Ortiz agreed, calling the massive turnout a testament to the bridge’s importance. “For five years we’ve been in a deficit,” Ortiz said. “Commerce died, businesses suffered, and residents had little support. One thing San Bernardino is not known for is fulfilling promises and today is a moment for everyone to say, ‘Look, we did this collectively.’”
The Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge project was a multi-agency collaboration led by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), the City of San Bernardino, and Caltrans District 8. BNSF Railway contributed funding and improvements near its railyard, while Omnitrans provided free shuttle service during the closure. The Traylor–Granite Joint Venture oversaw construction with COWI North America as the design lead and CPM Logistics guiding small-business participation. Funding came from federal, state, city, and private rail sources.
Saturday’s ribbon cutting was as much a community celebration as it was a transportation milestone. The event featured vendors, live music, and a lowrider car show, with security and traffic managed by the San Bernardino Police Department and County Sheriff’s Department. Amid the festivities, a few dozen protesters demonstrated against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the city, calling for an end to local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration authorities.
Still, the day carried a tone of triumph and renewal. As Baca put it, “This reopening is great for the heart of San Bernardino.”
