TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The demolition of the historic Fanny Bridge is now underway, drawing sad remarks by those remembering the nearly 100 year-old-bridge.

“It’s like saying goodbye to [an] old friend,” one Truckee resident remarked on Caltrans’ announcement.

Demolition is scheduled to continue through the first week of September.

The occasion has locals and visitors recalling memories at the bridge and once again circulating the widely seen namesake photo on social media.

As the decades of memories are recalled and shared, some expressed the concern over whether the bridge’s replacement will reflect its history.

According to Placer County, the new bridge will appear similarly to the historic bridge with the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides, in addition new traffic control and pedestrian signals. Unlike the old bridge, it will be a single-span structure without any piers in the river.

The new bridge is scheduled for completion by mid-November.

Traffic is now being diverted onto Lake Blvd. to access State Route 89 and State Route 28. West Lake Blvd. is open for business and transit center access.

All local businesses in the Tahoe City area will remain open and accessible throughout the construction period. Pedestrians can cross the Truckee River via the walkway on the back side of the Lake Tahoe Dam.

Project partners include Placer County, the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (of the Federal Highway Administration), Caltrans, Tahoe Transportation District, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and the Tahoe City Public Utility District.

Design and construction is led by the FHWA/CFLHD. The project is under contract with Thompson Builders to complete the work.

For more information and updates on the Fanny Bridge Replacement Project, visit the Placer County website.

Do you have thoughts on this topic? Tell us your opinion at https://www.sierrasun.com/submissions/letter-to-the-editor/