Bridge debris removal project to impact American River recreation

As idyllic and pristine an experience as the confluence of the American River along Highway 49 in the Auburn State Recreation Area can be for hikers, kayakers and horseback riders, Placer County senior civil engineer Cheyenne Toney says it could be improved to a more natural state.

That's because, ever since a flood resulting from the failure of the Hell Hole Dam in 1964 washed out the old Highway 49 bridge, roughly 750 tons of metal, concrete and debris have remained in and around the river near the current Highway 49 bridge for the past six decades.

So, starting Tuesday, Placer County began leading work to begin removing that old bridge debris once and for all.

"It's our intent to come in and clean this debris, and when we leave it will look like we were never here, and the debris was