Alpine Road has a hidden bridge

Bridge over Corte Madera Creek on dirt Alpine Road, looking south.

Back in the winter of 1982-1983, Corte Madera Creek flooded from heavy rains. That was the start of ongoing problems at Alpine Road’s concrete bridge spanning the creek.

The bridge is about 100 yards beyond the green gate, where east slope Alpine Road pavement ends.

As an aside, a half mile of road leading to the green gate wasn’t paved until October 1987.

I don’t have any photos of the bridge before 1986, so there may have been a suitable crossing. I would have taken a photo, if there were a problem. I suspect that the bridge was already obscured by debris.

Between 1986 and late December 1989, when the road was graded for the last time by San Mateo County, we walked down to the creek and crossed on rickety wooden slats put there by a concerned citizen.

Olaf Brandt and Jobst Brandt clamber over a makeshift bridge on Alpine Road in 1986.

There were other landslides we had to traverse during the late 1980s, some which Jobst Brandt and friends worked on to make rideable.

After the grading, we were shocked to find out that there had been a substantial concrete bridge in place. We had no idea based on the lay of the terrain.

It’s still there today, obscured by brush and trees.

Alpine Road at Corte Madera Creek bridge, January 7, 1990. Jeff Vance, Brian Cox, Jobst Brandt shown.