Supervisors divert funds for temporary bridge in rural Arroyo Grande

November 20, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday  to use surplus funds to install a temporary bridge on Cecchetti Road in rural Arroyo Grande, with supervisors John Peschong and Heather Moreno dissenting.

A storm in 2023 washed out the Cecchetti Bridge. Since then, agricultural, school and residential traffic utilizes the Harris Bridge, leading to difficulties for agricultural equipment and smooth traffic. A new bridge is expected to be finished in 2027.

Supervisor Jimmy Paulding proposed installing a temporary bridge several months ago. He was able to get $250,000 in county funds earmarked for the project, but it was not enough.

County staff determined the project would cost $800,000. In addition, of the 24 months Paulding planned for the temporary bridge to be in service, because of flooding during the winter storms it would likely only be in service for eight months.

In October, his attempt for funding failed because Paulding needed a 4-1 vote to succeed. He then asked staff to find the $406,000 needed for the temporary bridge.

County staffers said that leftover funds from the Morretti Canyon Road bridge repair project could fill in the shortfall. Instead of using the funds to repair four other bridges, the county could divert the $500,000 in surplus funds to the Cecchetti bridge project, which would require only a 3-2 vote.

Supervisors Peschong and Moreno again objected to the expenditure.

“Allocating this funding means a delay in other critical bridge projects,” Moreno said. “We don’t have spare money sitting around.”

The board then voted 3-2 to divert funds to pay for the temporary bridge project.