The City of Sacramento, California, will move forward on a $300 million replacement for its downtown I Street Bridge over the Sacramento River, replacing a historic swing bridge with a "basket handle" lift bridge.
The City Council has authorized the interim city manager to enter into discussions with the Sacramento Transportation Authority and the City of West Sacramento on funding and to inquire with the California Department of Transportation about potential financing.
The project’s lead architect, TYLin, won the bridge’s design competition with its “Spring” concept: an 860-foot-long, 100-foot-wide span with a 300-foot-long basket-handle network tied-arch that will lift. The moveable, aluminum span boasts a vertical lift height of about 49 feet to allow boats to pass underneath.
TYLin’s dual-tower design will accommodate vehicle traffic, cyclists, pedestrians and a future light-rail system and includes shaded observation areas. The project’s contract is scheduled to be awarded in Spring 2026.
Funding the project will include $250 million from the Federal Highway Bridge Program, $25 million from a state local partnership program, $11 million from the City of Sacramento transportation sales tax, $11 million from City of West Sacramento local funds and $4 million from the State Transportation Improvement Program. The California Transportation Commission has approved $25 million for its construction.
The City of Sacramento and the City of West Sacramento have been working together on replacing the 113-year-old upper deck since 2011, when a joint Sacramento River Crossings Alternatives Study identified the need for replacement bridge. Specific issues included buses unable to use the 9-foot-wide lanes, no bike lanes and narrow sidewalks not meeting accessibility standards.
The new structure will be built upstream from the old bridge to connect the Sacramento Railyards and the West Sacramento Washington Neighborhood planned developments. The old bridge’s lower deck will remain in use as a railroad crossing, and its upper deck will be repurposed for a shared use trail. The original bridge is owned by Union Pacific Railroad.
