City receives update on Capital Projects
By Camille DeVaul · Thu Dec 04 2025
City engineer outlines progress on repairs, grant-funded bridge upgrades, and upcoming 2026 infrastructure work
PASO ROBLES — City Council received an update on current and future capital projects from Capital Projects Engineer Ditas Esperanza during the Tuesday, Dec. 2 City Council meeting.
"There has been a lot of rain, so there has not been a remarkable change to the construction progress of projects," Esperanza shared. "I thought I would take advantage of that time and update you on a big project that is coming up in the future, for which we received some good news."
Repairs have started in the downtown Marv's Pizza parking lot. Stage one has begun with "V" gutter repairs behind Grapes and Grain to improve the alleyway and drainage. Crews are looking to have the area paved sometime next week.
Esperanza outlined several major infrastructure projects scheduled to begin between late 2025 and early 2026. Upcoming work includes slurry seal improvements on the west side, pipeline repairs in the Riverside/Capitol Hill/Almond Court area, and the start of Creston Road Phase 2, which will add a roundabout, upgraded sidewalks, lighting, and resurfacing.
Esperanza reminded the council, "There is quite a bit of grants going on towards this project. We're talking about $3.5 million, $3 million from the State of California, and another $400,000 from the California Transportation Commission, another $135,000 from our Highway Safety Improvement grant ... and those grants are all in place and ready to be spent."
Bridge projects also make up a significant portion of the workload: the South Vine Bridge is moving through the RFQ evaluation process, while resurfacing for the Niblick and 13th Street bridges is already in bid preparation. The city was awarded $2.4 million in Federal Highway Bridge Program Grant funding for the Niblick and 13th bridge project.
Additionally, planning continues for the expansion and widening of the 24th Street Bridge as right-of-way negotiations progress. Some concept photos were shared that portray some ornamental fencing and lights, pedestrian sidewalks, and bikeways. Environmental clearance has been completed for the project, which was paid for with some grant money.
The 24th Street Bridge was constructed in 1959 with two lanes of traffic and a narrow sidewalk on the south side with no bike lanes. In 2015, the city received a federal grant for preliminary engineering of an upgraded and expanded bridge, and environmental clearance for the project was issued in 2021. The Federal Highway Administration has authorized initiating the Right-of-Way phase of the project, which is in process now. Once fully approved and funded, construction will take two to three years to complete, with one lane of the bridge staying open at all times.
Esperanza updated council that a grant was approved for the project.
"The grant is $16 million for construction and then there is a match, of course, that the city will have to pony up," Esperanza explained, adding that the project may be able to start advertising for bids late next year.
All updates on city projects can be found at prcity.com/363
The next Paso Robles City Council Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. in the Norris Room at Centennial Park.