New Bridge Enhances Circulation, Multimodal Access and Emergency Connectivity
The City of Santa Clarita invites residents and community members to join the Santa Clarita City Council, City staff and project partners for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Vista Canyon Bridge on Tuesday, September 29, at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place at Vista Canyon Boulevard and Humphreys Parkway.
Spanning approximately 780 feet across the Santa Clara River, the new two-lane bridge connects Soledad Canyon Road and Mitchell Drive. The project improves circulation and provides greater access for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and emergency responders.
An important component of the Santa Clarita 2025 Strategic Plan, the project includes the extension of Vista Canyon Boulevard and a new roundabout, providing direct access to the Vista Canyon Multimodal Transit Center and surrounding neighborhoods.
The bridge was designed to support multiple modes of transportation, with a shared-use sidewalk and Class I bike lane, along with a new bike trail beneath the bridge that connects to Santa Clarita’s trail system. Additional features include highway safety lighting, concrete barriers, metal railings and a five-foot-wide raised landscaped planter, the first of its kind on a bridge in the City.
The project also strengthens emergency preparedness by creating an alternative access and evacuation route for surrounding communities. A striped median provides space for emergency vehicles, while additional roadway improvements include a new traffic signal at Soledad Canyon Road and Vista Canyon Boulevard and new and extended turn lanes. Construction required extensive coordination with regional, state and federal partners, including Metro, Caltrans, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Southern California Edison, SCV Water, JSB Development, Los Angeles County Flood Control and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as careful consideration of environmental conditions within the Santa Clara River. The project also includes purpose-built bat houses beneath the bridge, providing additional roosting opportunities for local bats. By attending the Vista Canyon Bridge Ribbon Cutting, you’ll have the opportunity to see a bat house on display and take home a commemorative bat plushie.
The Vista Canyon Bridge improves circulation, expands access to public transportation, creates new opportunities for walking and biking and strengthens connections throughout the eastern portion of Santa Clarita. Residents are encouraged to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebrate this important investment in Santa Clarita’s future. For more information, please visit SantaClarita.gov/CIP.
