Politics & Government

The Martinez Trestle: A Rusty Reminder Of Days Gone By

Though the railroad company says the bridge is "over-engineered," the rusty structure could use a coat of paint.

For as long as most of us can remember, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe trestle at Alhambra Avenue has been a rusty reminder of glory days of Martinez. At one time, it was a gleaming silver gateway to a city that also hosted ferries, a thriving downtown, and a collection of bars, restaurants and other entertainments that was unrivaled in Contra Costa.

These days, it's still an impressive structure, and still a gateway to our city. But it has for many years worn a serious coat of rust that the railroad company refuses to paint. And the city, while willing, doesn't consider the trestle a priority for its limited funds.

"We haven't talked to anyone about it for a long time," said Mayor Rob Schroder this week. "It is the position of the railway company that the structural integrity of the trestle is solid. It was engineered to hold steam trains, which were much heavier than the diesels crossing it now. The railway company has assured the city that they don't pay to paint bridges. But they'd be happy to let us paint it."

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But that would be an outlay of what are already very limited city funds, he said, and there are other, more pressing priorities.

At one point in 2000, then assemblyman Joe Cancimilla had a bill before the state legislature that would have paid for the sandblasting and painting of the trestle. But state budget woes that year killed the funding for that project.

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Since then, the trestle has continued to rust, with no agency willing or able to step forward and beautify it.

"Every survey we get on the City Council tells us that residents want their streets fixed. That is their number one concern beyond all else," Schroder said. "After that, it's public safety. So I don't hear a big outcry for the city to spend money on the trestle."


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