Save the Bonnie Brier Bridge
A severe storm on February 4, 2025 destroyed the only safe and legal access route for residents along with emergency services in our small mountain community
A Critical Access and Safety Emergency
The Bonnie Brier community is relying on a single access route through a neighboring community that is unsafe for emergency vehicles
Residents face fire risk, delayed response times for fire responders, and challenges with insurance and financing
This is not a simple inconvenience, it is a public safety emergency for our community of young families, elderly, disabled, retired, and fixed income households
The bridge replacement will put a financial burden on many of our residents
Some of our elderly, disabled, or fixed income community members may have to leave their home because of the financial burden to replace the bridge
After a severe storm destroyed the only access road to our mountain community, 21 families are now forced to trespass over private land just to reach their homes, go to work, and take children to school
But the danger runs far deeper
Fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency services cannot reach us
Homeowners face losing insurance, loans, and financial stability
Our public community is landlocked by private property which limits access to our community
On February 4, 2025, the only access bridge serving the Bonnie Brier community in Boulder Creek was rendered impassable when the road leading to the bridge collapsed and the bridge abutment shifted
This event immediately isolated 21 homes from emergency services, deliveries, and essential access
Since that date, the Bonnie Brier community has organized an ongoing, coordinated response to restore safe access while pursuing long-term funding and engineering solutions
Responses:
Red tag issued by Santa Cruz County
Site inspection by Boulder Creek Fire Chief,
District 5 County Supervisor Martinez, and multiple agencies
Emergency fencing installed for safety
Community volunteers are researching funding, engineering, and legal options
Bridge replacement estimated at $2.5M, with a 2+ year timeline with over $100+K in permitting costs from multiple regulatory agencies
As a small community in the Santa Cruz Mts, we believed that the County would support our bridge replacement as we thought the County owned the bridge. After meeting with County officials, they denied ownership of the bridge. The County does claim the roads are public but labeled them as unmaintained. So, the County is taking no responsibility for the replacement of our bridge.
Bonnie Brier was blindsided by this knowledge. The thought of not receiving financial support from the County devastated our community. In addition, there was no insurance policy to request monetary support. The Governor designated many other cities and counties as disaster areas from the 2025 storms, but it did not include Boulder Creek, so FEMA loans are not available for our community.
If the County was not going to help financially, how would our small community be able to afford to pay for the replacement of the bridge, permits, fees, and other costs?
Our situation has become a burden far beyond our small community’s ability to assume. This is why we are reaching out to the broader community for help. We have many people that will not be able to afford their portion of the estimated $2.5M it will cost to replace the bridge and repair the road.
The Bonnie Brier community has contacted or working with the Resource Conservation District (RCD), San Lorenzo Valley Firewise, Boulder Creek Fire Department, District 5 County Supervisor Martinez, Assemblymember Pellerin, Congressmember Panetta, Fyera Foundation, Heartmath, County Public Works, County Counsel, and County Finance
Additional Progress:
Firewise Community as of 2026
Teamed with Fyera Foundation and Heartmath to support 2 community emergency boxes and AED/CPR/First Aid Training
Multiple meetings with Santa Cruz County Officials
Signed contracts with geotechnical and engineering firms to develop plans for the bridge replacement
Researching grant and charity opportunities for our financially distressed residents
Emergency Access Blocked
Fire trucks, ambulances, and rescue teams CANNOT reach our community
Fire Safety
Community members are nervous about the up-coming fire season with a lack of critical infrastructure in our wildfire-prone terrain
Property Insurance
There is a need to maintain home insurance, mortgages, and property values
Environmental Restoration
A need to Improve creek habitat and ecosystem health
Bridge Project Progress
The bridge project will construct a modern, fire-safe bridge, remove the failing structure, and restore the natural creek environment
The community has signed contracts with Morris Engineering, NBS, Rock Solid Engineering, Penrose Chun & Gorman LLP, Hanagan Survey, Ortega Brothers, and Sebastian Holmes
By July 2026, our community needs the following financial support:
~$200+K for the first phase which consists of the survey, soils report, geoengineers, attorneys, and engineering plans
~$100+K for permits
~$800+K for the removal of the bridge, collapsed road, and clean-up of the debris in Bear Creek
The remainder of the funds, potentially up to $2.5M for the construction, will be needed before June 2027