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I Street Bridge

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Coordinates: 38°35′11″N 121°30′25″W / 38.58639°N 121.50694°W / 38.58639; -121.50694
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I Street Bridge
Coordinates38°35′10″N 121°30′23″W / 38.586244°N 121.506254°W / 38.586244; -121.506254
CarriesState Route 16
Union Pacific Railroad Martinez Subdivision
CrossesSacramento River
LocaleSacramento, California
Official nameI Street Bridge
Named forI Street (Sacramento)
Maintained byUnion Pacific Railroad
Characteristics
DesignSwing bridge
Total length400 ft (120 m)
History
Constructed byAmerican Bridge Company
I Street Bridge
I Street Bridge is located in California
I Street Bridge
I Street Bridge is located in the United States
I Street Bridge
LocationSacramento, California
Coordinates38°35′11″N 121°30′25″W / 38.58639°N 121.50694°W / 38.58639; -121.50694
Arealess than one acre
Built1912 (1912)
Architectural styleDouble-Deck Steel Truss
NRHP reference No.82002233[1]
Added to NRHPApril 22, 1982
Location
Map

The I Street Bridge is a historic metal truss swing bridge which crosses the Sacramento River to link the capital city of Sacramento, California, with Yolo County to the west.

History

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Bridge at Sacramento, 1870
California Pacific Railroad bridge, Sacramento (1870-1878)

The California Pacific Railroad Company built the first railroad bridge across the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The first train crossed on January 29, 1870.

On February 14, 1910 the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the governments of Sacramento County and Yolo County agreed to construction of a new bridge across the Sacramento River.[2]

Interest in the bridge was taken immediately by consultants, engineering groups, and concerned citizens, with many proposing designs and where exactly the bridge should be located.[3] An example of this is reported in the Sacramento Daily Union, where an engineer from a firm in Kansas City, named Waddell and Harrington proposed a lift bridge instead of a swing bridge.[4] This idea gained some popularity, with the Yolo County Board of Supervisors even voting in favor of the plans presented by engineering firm.[5] The Board of Supervisors for Yolo County had delayed giving its full support for the bridge because of the lack of support given to the Northern Electric Railroad, in their efforts to construct what would eventually become the M Street Bridge.[6] This was despite signing an agreement for the bridge's construction. Due to this lack of support, Southern Pacific threatened to build only the railroad portion of the bridge, and not the upper deck which would support wagons and eventually automobiles.[7] Yolo County would finally support the construction of the upper deck on September 8, 1910, months after Southern Pacific started construction on the bridge.[8]

Despite the initial lack of clarity on the part of the Yolo County government, Southern Pacific decided to go ahead on construction of the bridge. Southern Pacific attorney W.H. Delvin would eventually make a public statement about the situation, stating

“Gentlemen: —Referring to the contract between the Southern Pacific Railroad company, a corporation, as party of the first part, and the county of Sacramento as party of the second part, and the county of Yolo as the party of the third part, the same being dated February 14. 1910. and concerning proposed new bridge to be erected by the said Southern Pacific Railroad company across the Sacramento river between the town of Washington, in the county of Yolo, and the city of Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento; “I am directed by the Southern Pacific company, the party of the first part in said contract, to advise you that it will be impracticable to change the swing draw, as provided In said contract, to the vertical lift type. and that, hence, no further negotiation, or conferences in that behalf will be necessary. Very truly yours, “W. H. DELVIN, “Attorney' for Southern Pacific Railroad Company.”[9]

On June 8, 1910 construction would officially begin, as carloads of equipment were unloaded and crews began work on the bridge.[10] Workers encountered trouble early on, as during the construction process, workers encountered buried cans of rotting salmon, likely from an old cannery. The overwhelming stench disturbed residents of Broderick, California, and caused the construction crew to work with clothespins on their nose.[11] In addition to the salmon, workers would eventually uncover old rails from a California Pacific Railroad bridge, human and animal bones, and some gold flakes, which caused some gold seekers to sit near the construction site, and watch for any in the flowing river[12][13]

The I Street Bridge, known at the time as simply the Southern Pacific Bridge was finally completed on April 29, 1912. The bridge cost $1 million (equivalent to $31.6 million in 2023 adjusted for inflation) to construct. A small celebration was held to commemorate the completion of the bridge by hoisting the American Flag over the center of the bridge. The first train to cross this bridge was No. 19 passenger train from San Francisco, with other passenger trains crossing afterward.[14]

Operations

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The lower level of the bridge provides rail access to and from Sacramento. The upper level provides highway access. The bridge supports various Amtrak routes, such as the Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr. The bridge is very close to the Sacramento Valley Station and connects to the Davis station to the west. This historic bridge has a vertical clearance of 14 feet 8 inches (4.47 m) and was originally part of State Route 16. It also carries two walkways; one on either side of the roadway.

I Street Bridge Replacement Project

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Doris Matsui presents I Street Bridge design, Sacramento, California (February 21, 2020) 02

In February 2011, the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento released the Sacramento River Crossings Alternatives Study[15] This study determined that that the I Street Bridge's "upper roadway is too narrow to serve buses, it has no bicycle facilities, and it has very narrow sidewalks". Thus, one of the recommendations of the study was the replacement of the I Street Bridge. These two city governments eventually determined that this new bridge's construction was feasible and went ahead with the project. The two city governments received a 76 million dollar grant in 2016,[16] and in 2018 they opened a Bridge Architect Design Competition, to allow architects time to propose potential bridge designs. This competition resulted in 9 preliminary designs, which were eventually narrowed down to 4.[17] These four designs were shown in community meetings, and received public input. On February 21, 2020 the final design of the bridge was released[18] showing a vertical-lift bridge that is 860 feet long, with a 330 foot lift span. The bridge included public seating, bike lanes, and larger sidewalks. The bridge would connect Sacramento's Railyards District to West Sacramento's planned Washington Neighborhood.

As of February 2024, the bridge is slated to start construction in 2025, but that date is not guaranteed due to a lack of proper funding.[19]

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  • View from above, showing roadway on top deck and train tracks on lower deck
    View from above, showing roadway on top deck and train tracks on lower deck
  • The swing span turned to allow a boat to pass
    The swing span turned to allow a boat to pass
  • View from the Sacramento River
    View from the Sacramento River

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "CONTRACT FOR S. P. BRIDGE SIGNED BY YOLO Attorneys and Railroad Officers in Spectacular Debate With Supervisors. DEVLIN PLEDGES CHANGE IN DRAW IF ORDERED Railroad Company to Stand Expense If Wider Gap Is Necessary". Vol. 118, no. 175. Sacramento Daily Union. 15 February 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  3. ^ "NO OPPOSITION OFFERED TO S. P. BRIDGE SITE Amalgamated Pow-Wow Brings Out Appeal Only for Joint Railroad Structure. PETITION EXPECTED NOW TO BE GRANTED Enitire Question Is Threshed Out by Contenders Before Army Engineer". Vol. 119, no. 12. Sacramento Daily Union. 5 March 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  4. ^ "S.P. BRIDGE PLANS MAY BE CHANGED Lift Instead of Swinging Draw Suggested to Supervisors by Engineer. Idea Attracts Attention of Parties Interested and May Be Taken". Vol. 119, no. 15. Sacramento Daily Union. 8 March 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  5. ^ "YOLO SUPERVISORS FOR VERTICAL LIFT Three to Two Vote on Bridge Result of Two Opinions Regarding Time". Vol. 119, no. 32. Sacramento Daily Union. 25 March 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ "S. P. WILL BEGIN WORK ON BRIDGE Wagon Way Overhead May Be Omitted if Yolo Board Fails to Act. Company Will Proceed With Construction of Its Outer Piers". Vol. 119, no. 61. Sacramento Daily Union. 23 April 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  7. ^ "S. P. WILL BEGIN WORK ON BRIDGE Wagon Way Overhead May Be Omitted if Yolo Board Fails to Act. Company Will Proceed With Construction of Its Outer Piers". Vol. 119, no. 61. Sacramento Daily Union. 23 April 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  8. ^ "BRIDGE CONTRACT FINALLY SIGNED Draw of S. P. Structure to Be 170 Feet in the Clear". Vol. 120, no. 18. Sacramento Daily Union. 9 September 1910. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  9. ^ "S.P. TO PROCEED AT ONCE TO BUILD SWING DRAWBRIDGE". Vol. 119, no. 72. Sacramento Daily Union. 4 May 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  10. ^ "MATERIAL FOR BIG BRIDGE ARRIVES Construction to Begin on Yolo Side of River". Vol. 119, no. 111. Sacramento Daily Union. 12 June 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  11. ^ "NOSE CLOTHESPINS STYLE OVER RIVER Appalling Stench Unearthed by S. P. Bridge Workmen". Vol. 119, no. 115. Sacramento Daily Union. 16 June 1910. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  12. ^ "BONES OF ANCIENT RAILROAD IN RIVER Rails Beneath the Sacramento Once Used to Bolster Bridge Against Flood. Trials of the Old California Pacific Are Recalled by Disinterment". Vol. 119, no. 163. Sacramento Daily Union. 3 August 1910. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  13. ^ "TRACES OF GOLD IN RIVER SOIL Yolo "Diggings" Attract Crowd Of Pay-Dirt Searchers". Vol. 119, no. 169. Sacramento Daily Union. 9 August 1910. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  14. ^ "FIRST TRAIN OVER NEW S.P. BRIDGE Old Wooden Structure Now Is to Be Demolished". Vol. 164, no. 61. Sacramento Daily Union. 30 April 1912. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Sacramento River Crossings Alternatives Study" (PDF). City of Sacramento. Fehr & Peers, ICF International, Dokken Engineering, AIM Consulting, Endicott Communications, Inc. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  16. ^ "105-Year-Old I Street Bridge Will Eventually Be Closed To Vehicles". CBS Sacramento. July 27, 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  17. ^ "I STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT project". City of Sacramento - Public Works. City of Sacramento. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Check out the final design for the new I Street Bridge Replacement Project". Sacramento City Express. City of Sacramento. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  19. ^ Truong, Hanh. "When does construction start to replace I Street Bridge in Sacramento?". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
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Media related to I Street Bridge at Wikimedia Commons

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