The Main Avenue Bridge Replacement Project was completed in December 2006. In early 2007 the City will continue with some minor work to place the finishing touches on the new bridge.
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Taylor Street Children’s Hmong dancers, a local troupe, perform at the Grand Opening Ceremony (above); District 2 City Councilwomen Sandy Sheedy addresses the crowd (below).
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At 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 23, the City of Sacramento opened the new Main Avenue Bridge to traffic for the first time. Thanks to the project team’s diligent work, the City was able to open the bridge to the public prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. The bridge opened with four lanes of traffic and lighting and sidewalk access on the south side. Additional work on the north side of the bridge has continued throughout Phase Two of the project.
To commemorate the opening of the bridge, the City of Sacramento hosted a grand opening celebration on Monday, December 5. The event took place on top of the new bridge (traffic was diverted to the old bridge during the festivities). There were approximately 75 members of the public in attendance at the event. The event format included holiday carols sung by the Robla Children’s Choir, a speaker program, bridge christening and a mini parade.
Marty Hanneman, Assistant City Manager, officiated the event while Councilmembers Ray Tretheway and Sandy Sheedy and County Supervisor Roger Dickinson made presentations. Following the speaker program, Marty Hanneman, Supervisor Dickinson, and Project Manager Nader Kamal, broke bottles on the south rail of the bridge to christen the new structure. Attendees were then treated to a mini parade of local support across the new bridge. This festivity included an antique Model A Ford from Markstein Beverage Company which carried Councilmembers Tretheway and Sheedy, and a Core-Mark International 18-wheeler carrying Santa Claus, Fire Engine #18, a police department PT Cruiser, Robla School District School bus and the Taylor Street Children’s Hmong dancers.
AN AWARD WINNING PROJECT!
Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) presented the City of Sacramento with a special recognition award for its extraordinary efforts and success on the Main Avenue Bridge Replacement Project. The bridge design was completed and all necessary permits were obtained in less than 12 months. This massive effort allowed construction of the new bridge to begin in March and the successful completion of Phase One (opening the bridge to motor vehicles) by November 2005.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE MAIN AVENUE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT? |
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The new bridge will span the drainage canal, as well as the Union Pacific Railroad tracks that run along the east side of the canal. The project also includes a new traffic signal at the busy Northgate Boulevard/Main Avenue intersection, just west of the bridge. |
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The higher profile of the new bridge will carry traffic over the levees, the drainage channel, and the railroad tracks.
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HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BUILD THE BRIDGE?
Construction, which began in mid-March 2005, will continue until the end of 2006. Most work will take place during the dry months. The new four-lane bridge was officially opened to vehicle traffic on December 5, 2005. Removal of the old bridge, roadway improvements, and the remaining work on the new bridge (installation of sidewalks, bike lanes, street lights, medians, etc.) is currently being conduced in Phase Two of the project. The entire project is expected to be complete by December 2006.
WHY IS THE OLD MAIN AVENUE BRIDGE BEING REPLACED?
The original bridge was a two-lane timber structure built in 1938. The bridge has exceeded its life expectancy and must be replaced due to its deteriorating condition, fire damage, and recurrent closures caused by flooding. The old bridge was too narrow to handle projected future traffic demand. Lengthy traffic back-ups caused by frequent train traffic at the railroad crossing have also contributed to the need for a new bridge.
HOW WILL THIS PROJECT MAKE TRAVEL FASTER AND SAFER?
Once completed, this project will provide many benefits to the community and area businesses it serves:
Congestion relief: Traffic congestion will be relieved by providing four lanes (two in each direction), carrying traffic over the railroad tracks (where 20 trains pass each day), and adding a new traffic signal at Northgate Boulevard and Main Avenue. The wider bridge and roadways will also accommodate future increasing traffic volumes along the Main Avenue corridor.
Safety/Road Closures: Vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians will no longer cross paths with trains because the new bridge’s higher profile will carry it over the railroad tracks. This feature will also ensure emergency vehicle access at all times and eliminate road closures due to flooding, a recurrent problem with the old bridge.
Flood protection: The new bridge will span both levees, eliminating the need for the floodgates on the old, at-grade bridge. The project will also implement improved drainage channel hydraulics to move water more efficiently through the channel.
Improved bike/pedestrian mobility: The new bridge will include new sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides.
Overall, the project will accommodate planned growth in the area and help stimulate economic development along this important commercial corridor.
WHAT DOES THE NEW BRIDGE LOOK LIKE?
The new bridge is an 813-foot-long, four-lane structure that spans the existing levees, the drainage canal, and the railroad tracks. The bridge's higher elevation helps in dealing with flooding during significant storm events.
Now complete, the new bridge features sidewalks, bike lanes, lighting, and a raised center median. Some existing driveways, parking areas, sidewalks, and landscaping on Main Avenue have been modified to accommodate the gradually rising approaches to the new bridge. Meandering sidewalks, attractive landscaping, and a parking lot under the new bridge (on the east side) have been installed to help offset the impacts of these modifications. The entire length of the project, from Northgate Boulevard to Pell Avenue, has received a new driving surface, signage, and striping.
The newly Completed Main Avenue Bridge
HOW WILL THE COMMUNITY BE KEPT INFORMED ABOUT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES?
The City of Sacramento and the project team will continue to keep the public apprised by utilizing signage along the project route, conducting community meetings, developing newsletters, maintaining the Web site, and keeping the information line current with traffic and project updates. Should lane closures occur due to construction activities, the media will be contacted to alert the impacted public.
If you are not receiving project mailings and would like to be added to the database, or if you would like additional information about the project, call the information line at (916) 565-1104 and leave a message. If appropriate, a project team member will return your call within 24 hours.
HOW MUCH WILL THE NEW BRIDGE COST, AND WHO IS PAYING FOR IT?
The total cost for design and construction of the new bridge is estimated at $23 million. Federal funding through the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program is covering 80 percent of costs, while the remaining funds come from the City of Sacramento, the County of Sacramento, and Union Pacific Railroad.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN?
The City of Sacramento is the lead agency, with essential support from nearly fifty other agencies and organizations, including the County of Sacramento, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Caltrans, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), the American River Flood Control District (ARFCD), Reclamation District 1000 (RD1000), and many others.
City Councilmembers Raymond Tretheway and Sandy Sheedy, along with County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, lent their considerable support to the project. The late Congressman Robert Matsui was also instrumental in securing federal funding.
Community support and participation have also been critical. The project has benefited tremendously from the cooperation and input of the Pell-Main Avenue Industrial Park Association and individual property owners and businesses in the project area.
The City enlisted a uniquely qualified design and construction team to make the project a reality. Dokken Engineering designed the project, and Vali Cooper & Associates is currently managing the overall construction effort. MCM Construction is the contractor building the bridge and all of the other components of the project.
For the latest construction news, please call 916-565-1104.
For additional project information, please contact the City Project Manager,
Nader Kamal, at 916-808-7035.
