Lenihan Dam Project to Cause Bike Detour

Avid cyclists and hikers who use the path across James H. Lenihan Dam for recreation and exercise will find that the access point will be closed during the week as part of a Santa Clara Valley Water District project to test dam safety.

According to Marty Grimes, a spokesman for the district, the project began in mid-June and will continue until late July. Workers will be drilling, collecting and testing soil samples from Lenihan Dam at Lexington Reservoir.

The work will require intermittent closing of one lane on Alma Bridge Road and intermittent closure of the bike path, Grimes said. 

A flag crew will assist with vehicle and pedestrian traffic when Alma Bridge Road is restricted to one lane. When the bike path across the dam face is closed, cyclists and pedestrians will detour through the district's gated access road next to the spillway, Grimes added.

Users are advised to walk bikes up and down the steep gravel detour, he said. 

The bike path will, however, remain open on weekends for recreational use.

The water district operates 10 dams in Santa Clara County and has began testing their stability in the event of large earthquake, Grimes said. 

To learn more about the project, click here.