The only road leading into the Half Moon Bay neighborhood and to Senasqua Park is slated for a major overhaul, a process village officials warn will bring alternating one-way traffic and heavy machinery to the area for more than two years. During a public webinar on Jan. 5, consultants from Tectonic Engineering joined Village Manager Bryan Healy and Department of Public Works Superintendent Frank Belby to outline the $2.3 million reconstruction of the Half Moon Bay Bridge. "This bridge provides the only public access to the area," said Jeff Scala, senior vice president for Tectonic. {{quote:78}} The bridge, which carries traffic over the Metro-North Railroad tracks, was last heavily modified in 1987. A 2024 inspection revealed it is now suffering from significant deterioration. "We identified several deficiencies throughout the structure," said Tariq Hussain, a staff engineer at Tectonic. "We can see a noticeable chipping and scaling at the joints... evidence of corrosion, like, on the various structural steel components, like, with a moderate to heavy rust accumulation." {{quote:150}} {{quote:184}} Engineers documented heavy rust on the bridge's bearings and column beams, as well as concrete deterioration on the footings. To remedy this, the village plans to replace the entire concrete deck and sidewalk, clean and paint the steel beams, and repair the concrete abutments. The project comes with a hefty price tag, estimated between $1.7 million and $2.3 million. However, officials emphasized that this financial burden will not fall on local taxpayers. "This is federal money coming through the state," said Superintendent Frank Belby. {{quote:604}} Construction is currently scheduled to begin in December 2026, with an expected completion date of March 2028. Because the bridge serves as the sole entry point for residents and park-goers, it cannot be closed entirely. Instead, the work will be split into two stages. "There's always gonna be one of the two lanes gonna be open during construction," said Albert Sid, the project manager for Tectonic. "Stage one construction, you see the south portion of the bridge is being closed... and then the traffic's gonna be on the north side of the bridge. Stage two is the opposite." {{quote:385}} {{quote:403}} While one lane will remain open, traffic flow will be regulated by temporary signals rather than stop signs, a change driven by safety concerns regarding the heavy excavators needed to demolish the existing deck. "They're gonna cut saw cut the deck and then lift it out with an excavator," Scala said, noting that cars must be stopped temporarily while machinery swings over the railroad. "Currently, we're looking at stop sign control, but we do believe that most likely we'll be alternating one way with temporary traffic signals." {{quote:652}} {{quote:699}} Residents raised concerns about how these signals would impact school buses and emergency vehicles. Eugene Kim, a Half Moon Bay board member, asked if buses could trip the lights automatically to avoid delays. "We'll definitely work with the schools," said Village Manager Bryan Healy, adding that the village previously used temporary signals successfully on Elliot Way. "There may be a way that can go out through the southern entrance as well." {{quote:718}} Officials also pledged to ensure Fire and EMS departments are notified of lane changes, as standard construction contracts require contractors to maintain emergency access. Trustee Ann Gallelli questioned the logistics of parking heavy construction vehicles overnight in the tight residential area. "There's a need to be using any other, parking spaces?" Gallelli asked. "Where will all these vehicles be kept overnight?" {{quote:1667}} Consultants said they have identified on-street parking and some private lots for staging but acknowledged the constraints. "We do look around. We do not secure private locations ahead of time. That's usually up to the contractor," Scala said. {{quote:1733}} Another point of contention was the bridge's fencing. Currently, the steel fencing allows views of the train yard below. Some residents inquired about replacing the open fencing with solid panels to block the noise and visual of the trains, or conversely, ensuring the new fence doesn't block views of the river. Engineers pushed back against solid panels, citing safety and liability concerns. "We're a little bit concerned with, you know, people not being able to see traffic coming as they approach the bridge," Scala said. "That would create a hazard that we try to avoid." {{quote:914}} With the design phase ongoing, the village expects to put the project out for bid by the end of summer 2026. Healy urged residents to reach out with concerns as the start date approaches. "We're looking forward to having a very, very open, and transparent dialogue on the project," Healy said. {{quote:561}}