Gavilan College will celebrate the completion of its new steel and cement bridge with a ribbon cutting event on Sept. 21 at 11am at the Gilroy campus, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
The event will also commemorate the naming of the newly constructed bridge as the “Susan Dodd Crossing,” in honor of former faculty member, Athletic Director, and largest single donor for the construction of the bridge.
The original wooden bridge (circa 1967), connecting both sides of Gavilan’s Gilroy campus, was tested in June 2019 and suffered from dry rot in the support trusses. In July 2019 plans began to replace it. After three years of planning, contractor selection and implementation, the new bridge was finished on Aug. 15.
“This new bridge is symbolic of the next and exciting phase our college district has entered, with the arrival of our new Superintendent/President, Dr. Pedro Avila, and the implementation of the rest of the Measure X construction projects that will improve the lives of our South County communities,” Gavilan Governing Board of Trustees President Edwin Diaz said.
“It is an honor for me to lead this college district through its reinvention and expansion,” Gavilan Superintendent/President Pedro Avila said. “The communities we serve need a bridge to increase their earning potential, a solid foundation of support and resources to succeed. I am grateful for the years of dedication and donation to our college from Susan Dodd.”
