On the evening of January 16, 2023, the City of Menifee updated its rain and flooding alert. One road was still closed: Bradley Road between Rio Vista Drive and Potomac Drive. The city's 7:30 p.m. update said drivers who ignored the closure had gotten their vehicles stuck.
Every other road in town had reopened that night, and Salt Creek still had Bradley Road. That's the history the Freedom Bridge now sits on top of. The ribbon has been cut, the military banners are up, and traffic has been crossing since October 1. But the bridge was built for a stormy night like that one, and Menifee hasn't had one with the bridge in place yet. The first real rain of this season will be its first real test.
The crossing that failed first and reopened last
For most of Menifee's history as a city, Bradley Road went straight through the Salt Creek channel at street level. When the creek ran, water flowed across the road, and the city closed it.
That happened more than once. On February 6, 2024, the city's rain and flooding alert listed Bradley Road at Salt Creek as closed and warned drivers not to pass through flowing water. Patch reported the same closure that morning, describing Bradley Road at the Salt Creek Trail as closed after overnight rain. Its report noted that Murrieta Road had already reopened by 8:30 a.m.
So when a storm came, Bradley Road was usually one of the first roads to close and one of the last to reopen. For anyone who uses it to get between the Sun City side and the neighborhoods south of the creek, a wet forecast meant planning another route.
The city's own project materials describe that as the problem the bridge solves. A July 2025 notice said the new bridge would "improve safety, ensure reliable access during storm events, and eliminate the need for motorists to drive through flowing water." It also said the bridge would let emergency services keep their response times in the area during a storm. The city's September 30 opening notice says the bridge restores reliable north-south travel on Bradley Road.
Thirteen years, three councils, one 365-foot span
The fix took a long time. At the October 13 ceremony, Mayor Pro Tem Bob Karwin said the project went into the city's capital improvement plan in 2013, and that talks started even earlier. He credited former Councilman Greg August as one of its first supporters. Menifee 24/7 quoted Karwin saying, "It's gone through three different generations of City Council to get us where we are today."
Here's how it went, from the plan to the open road:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Bradley Road bridge added to Menifee's capital improvement plan |
| January 16, 2023 | Storm closes Bradley Road between Rio Vista and Potomac; it's the last road still closed that evening |
| February 6, 2024 | Storm closes Bradley Road at Salt Creek again |
| June 10, 2025 | City holds a project open house at the Sun City Civic Association, 26850 Sun City Blvd. |
| August 4, 2025 | Full construction closure of Bradley Road begins |
| October 1, 2026 | Bridge opens to traffic |
| October 13, 2026 | Ribbon cutting and official opening ceremony |
The finished bridge is 365 feet long, with one lane in each direction, a center turn lane, and pedestrian access. The city says it has dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks. According to the city's completion announcement, the project cost $16 million, paid for with a mix of money from the city's Quality of Life Measure, federal funds, Riverside County Flood Control, and LTCAP. Valley News ran the same details on October 15.
Federal money closed the final gap. Mayor Ricky Estrada thanked Congressman Ken Calvert for helping secure $5 million, and Menifee 24/7 reported what Estrada said about it:
"That $5 million really pushed us over the edge to get this done."
Building it was more than pouring concrete. Menifee 24/7 reported that Public Works Director Nick Fidler thanked the contractors, engineers, and utility companies, because several utility lines had to be moved while service stayed on. The July 2025 notice explained why the road had to close completely. The work area was boxed in by homes on both ends and sat in an environmentally sensitive area.
The name came from the city's Veterans and Military Families Advisory Committee, which recommended it to honor service members, veterans, and their families. Banners for each military branch now line the road. The ceremony ended with a drive across the bridge by the Sun City CruiZers, followed by the ribbon cutting. Councilman Dan Temple said, "I think symbolically, the name is perfect for our city."
What's still wrapping up
The road is open, but the job isn't quite done. The city's October 16 construction update said Freedom Bridge and the Salt Creek Trail were open to the public, with beautification and final work expected to take about two more weeks. That puts the finish line close to the end of October, though the city noted that weather and field conditions could change the schedule.
If you're crossing in the next few days, here's what to expect:
- Temporary stop signs at Bradley Road and Rio Vista Drive. They'll stay until the new traffic signal is turned on. The city hasn't given an activation date, so plan on a full stop for now.
- Crews doing finishing work around the bridge as the beautification phase wraps up.
- The Salt Creek Trail back on its own route. During construction, the trail stayed open, but the section near Bradley Road was detoured through the surrounding neighborhood. The city now lists the trail as open.
The city keeps a live map of street projects at menifee.ca.gov/traffic. It's the place to check whether the Rio Vista signal is on before you head out.
The first storm is the real opening day
The road was fully closed from August 4, 2025, to October 1, 2026, about 14 months, according to the city and Menifee 24/7. During that time, nobody drove the crossing at all, rain or shine. The July 2025 notice closed it to cars, pedestrians, and cyclists between Pebble Beach Drive and just south of Rio Vista Drive. A city release from June 2025 gave different limits, describing the closure as running between Rio Vista Drive and Potomac Drive.
That means there's no record yet of how the new crossing does in a downpour. Everything we know about Bradley Road in the rain comes from the old crossing at street level, and that record is mostly closure notices. Menifee 24/7 reported that Karwin told the ceremony crowd the bridge was needed to deal with flooding and to keep up with the city's growth. The same report describes the bridge as a link between northern and southern Menifee over Salt Creek, at the spot where flooding used to force closures and detours.
When the next big storm comes and the city posts its road closure alert, look for Bradley Road. In January 2023 and February 2024, it was on the list. This winter is the first time the city has built something meant to keep it off.
If you live near Bradley Road and have wondered what the bridge means for your daily drive, or for a future move, I'm happy to talk it through. I follow projects like this because they shape how a neighborhood works long before they show up in listings. Reach out to Melissa Grasso anytime. Let's Connect.
