OAKLEY – The newly named Mike Carlson Bridge at Oakley’s Creekside Park was dedicated in a morning ceremony Friday, January 13, honoring the late Deputy Director of the Contra Costa County Public Works Department.
The bridge, which connects Creekside Park’s sports fields to the Marsh Creek Regional Trail, was named in memory of Mike Carlson, who retired in 2019 as Deputy Director of Contra Costa County Public Works after a 30-year career. Carlson passed away on July 28, 2022, leaving a decades-long legacy of protecting the creeks and communities of Contra Costa County.
Carlson’s wife, Kim Foster Carlson, unveiled the commemorative plaque on the bridge. Their adult children, Kasey, Taylor and Connor also attended the ceremony.
“Contra Costa County owes Mike Carlson a debt of gratitude, and this is just a small token of our appreciation for his decades of tireless work for our local environment and the health of our creeks,” Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis said. “He was committed to flood control and environmental conservation, but he was also always ready to share a story with you or tell you how proud he was of his kids.”
Brian Balbas, Director of Contra Costa County Public Works, also spoke in remembrance of his colleague.
“Mike was one of the three people who shaped the Flood Control District the most in Contra Costa County’s history,” Balbas said. “He was absolutely crucial in engaging the community, implementing our 50-year plan, and always keeping the District at the forefront of watershed health science and best practices. Mike’s legacy is in these creeks, and I can’t think of a more fitting way to remember him than by dedicating this bridge his in his memory.”
Editors Note:
In March of 2013, the City of Oakley and its partners held a ribbon cutting for the $1 million Marsh Creek Restoration Project at Creekside Park. The project was five years in the making as the grant will help restore 1,000 feet of Marsh Creek by providing plant shade trees, construct a creek side natural trail, and build a pedestrian bridge to link Marsh Creek Regional Trail and Creekside Park.
