First Avenue Bridge

Bankers Hill, San Diego, CA

The First Avenue Bridge is a 1931 three-hinge, metal-truss bridge spanning Maple Canyon in San Diego, CA. The bridge is significant in its engineering and architectural design as the only metal truss bridge in the city and one of a handful of arch truss bridges in California. It is among the most visible and important manifestation of San Diego’s early 20th century civil engineering projects. Built in response to the need for a more thorough commute for residents in the Uptown community to their offices downtown, the bridge aided the growth of the Uptown district prior to World War I. The City of San Diego proposed to seismically retrofit the First Avenue Bridge Over Maple Canyon utilizing federal funds. Heritage Architecture & Planning prepared a Section 106 Historic Property Survey Report in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and served as the preservation architect for the rehabilitation and seismic retrofit.