Project History
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I-5 under construction between downtown Sacramento and the waterfront in the late 1960s.
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Reconnection Approaches (2000-2001)
In the fall of 2000, the City of Sacramento began the Bridging I-5 planning process with an internal research study, the Downtown to the Riverfront Reconnection Research Study, to assess the technical feasibility of Bridging I-5.
The objectives of the technical research study were to determine if reconnection over the freeway was physically possible, to identify potential methods of reconnection, to define the geographic area that would be affected, and to outline a planning process should the prospects for reconnection be deemed feasible.
During the nine-month study, a multidisciplinary consulting team led by Parsons Brinckerhoff worked with City staff and Caltrans representatives to examine existing site conditions, review data from other cities around the world where similar reconnection efforts had been completed, and identify the reconnection approaches that could be physically and technically pursued.
Reconnection approaches were grouped into one or a combination of the following three approaches:
- Construction of full or partial decks over the freeway between the existing bridges to accommodate a combination of land uses on top
- Widening existing bridge(s) (mini-decking) at Capitol Mall, O Street, and R Street to achieve increased pedestrian and bicycle circulation
- Construction of a limited access bicycle and pedestrian bridge(s)
In determining the feasibility of each approach, the team looked at many issues, including impacts on urban design and land use, structural and geotechnical engineering, noise, real estate and economic development, traffic, tunnel safety, environmental regulations, constructability, and air rights. Rough preliminary cost estimates were also calculated for each approach.
Planning, Screening, and Public Visioning (2003-2004)
With completion of the feasibility study, it was concluded that some type of connection over the I-5 freeway was feasible. A planning-level study effort then began in 2003, which included preliminary technical analysis, definition of project objectives and key features, review and refinement of conceptual design alternatives, and a significant public involvement and visioning effort (see “Community Involvement” page for details).
Early community, stakeholder, and City input indicated a strong desire for full or partial decking of the freeway, as opposed to merely widening the existing bridges or constructing a new bike/pedestrian overcrossing. So with the City’s consent, the project team began developing conceptual decking options.
From an initial set of 16 potential bridging concepts, these options were screened down to a list of 12 concepts by the spring of 2004. These 12 concepts were then reviewed extensively with the community and further screened down to a shorter list of six concepts. Of these, three full-decking concepts envisioned decking I-5 from Capitol Mall all the way to R Street. The other three concepts were less ambitious partial-decking concepts.
The six concepts were presented to the Mayor and Sacramento City Council in late 2004. The Council affirmed the six concepts and directed the team to move forward with detailed study of any alternatives that are both technically and financially feasible. Council also directed the team to reflect and embrace in all of its plans the landmark Crocker Art Museum expansion, which includes new state-of-the-art facilities that will triple the current size of the museum.
As the team further assessed the myriad technical issues with each of the alternatives, several significant constraints began to emerge with the full-decking concepts. When considered as a whole, these constraints not only called into question the viability and constructability of the full-decking concepts, but also threatened to make them cost prohibitive. As a result, analysis has now shifted to the three remaining partial-decking concepts (see "Project Alternatives"), which would cover the blocks from Capitol Mall to O Street.
Final Studies and Environmental Review (Current Phase)
While the community and the City Council had initially expressed a preference during the visioning process to see the entire project area constructed, the general sentiment indicated that the northern half of the project from Capitol Mall to approximately O Street would be the section that would provide the best opportunities for improved circulation, new land uses and a reconnection to the riverfront.
It is this section that is now being evaluated in a Project Study Report (PSR), which a more detailed technical analysis prepared in accordance with Caltrans protocol. This study will look more closely at estimated costs, engineering issues, land uses, scheduling, and other key variables that will decide what can realistically be constructed.
For those concepts deemed feasible by the PSR, Environmental Documents (ED) and a final Project Report (PR) will be prepared in accordance with federal and state requirements. If more than one alternative is deemed feasible, a “preferred alternative” will be designated. The PR and ED for Bridging I-5 are currently scheduled for completion by late 2010 or early 2011.
Ultimately, the purpose of all this intensive planning work is to lay the necessary foundation for the future funding, design, and construction of Bridging I-5. Throughout all these steps, the City is committed to continually informing and engaging the community, through public meetings, hearings, stakeholder group consultations, newsletters, media outreach, and Web site updates.
(Please see “Current Project Funding and Schedule” page for a timeline of the current phase of work.)
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