NEWMAN — Local, county and regional leaders gathered June 3 along the San Joaquin River to celebrate the long‑anticipated opening of the new Hills Ferry Road Bridge, a project officials say represents not only modern infrastructure but years of persistence and partnership between Stanislaus and Merced counties.
The replacement bridge — more than 20 years in the making — officially opened after a 14‑month construction period, marking a major upgrade to one of the Westside’s most important east‑west connectors.
Stanislaus County Public Works Director David Leamon opened the ceremony by acknowledging the long list of agencies, contractors and dignitaries involved, joking that naming them all was “the part that gives me the most anxiety.” But he also underscored the historical significance of the crossing, tracing its roots back to an 1849 Gold Rush‑era ferry and noting that famed naturalist John Muir crossed at Hills Ferry in 1868…