SPI Insights

California – The cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento are planning a new bridge to serve traffic over the Sacramento River. The total cost is estimated to be between $188 million and $210 million.

In 2011, both cities recognized the need for new crossings over the river, and a study concluded that a replacement for the more than 100-year-old I Street Bridge was needed. Currently, the bridge serves automobile traffic on its upper deck and rail traffic on its lower deck. However, its lanes are too narrow to serve buses, the bridge does not have bicycle lanes, and its sidewalks are too narrow to meet accessibility standards.

The new bridge will be constructed upstream of the I Street Bridge, and will carry automobile, bicycle, transit, and pedestrian traffic. It will span the river between the Sacramento Railyards and the West Sacramento Washington Neighborhood planned developments; the existing bridge will continue to serve as a rail crossing, and its upper deck is being planned for use by pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

Aside from constructing the new bridge, work will include demolishing the approach viaducts to the existing bridge. Both cities will share local expenses for constructing and delivering the project, while approximately $158 million in state and local funding has already been identified.

Construction is expected to begin in 2021 and be completed in 2023.