Adam RollinsThis story was originally published in the Government Contracting Pipeline newsletter from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. To have the latest government contracting news stories from across the country delivered straight to your inbox, click here to subscribe.
Riverside County, California, will use $56.9 million to replace several deteriorating bridges with modern structures designed to meet current traffic demands and safety standards.
The county will start with spending $44.7 million to replace the Market Street Bridge. The existing bridge is outdated with insufficient seismic fits, deficient curb-to-curb road width and a lack of shoulder room, making it unsuited for travel.
The replacement bridge will be 1,216 feet long and will more than double the overall width. It will include four lanes to improve safety and traffic circulation. As part of the project, the county will improve nearby channels, create a muti-purpose trail connected to existing pathways and reconstruct approach roadways. Construction is anticipated to begin in November 2025.
A total of four timber bridges will be replaced along Chuckwalla Valley Road. The county will invest $8.1 million in the project, building modern two-lane bridges in place of the existing structures. The bridges will be between 60 to 80 feet long and have a curb-to-curb roadway width of 32 feet.
The travel lanes will be 12 feet wide in each direction with four-foot shoulders. Plans include building traffic barriers and railings along the bridges according to state safety design standards. In addition, the county will make channel and approach roadway improvements. Construction is expected to begin in December 2027.
The county will spend another $4.1 million to replace the two deteriorating Railroad Avenue bridges. The replacement structures will be to the identical specifications as Chuckwalla Valley Road projects. The bridges will be concrete, between 60 to 80 feet long and 32 feet curb-to-curb wide. Both structures will comply with modern safety standards. Construction is anticipated to begin in December 2027.
Photo courtesy FBenjr123, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
