The City of Sacramento announced on Apr. 15 that construction bids for the I Street Bridge Replacement Project were significantly higher than expected, causing officials to reconsider costs and future steps for the long-awaited project.
The importance of this project lies in its potential to improve transportation infrastructure, safety, and connectivity in the region. The bridge replacement is intended to serve pedestrians, cyclists, buses, and emergency vehicles while enhancing links to trails and destinations.
Three nationally recognized contractors submitted proposals with bids ranging from about $398 million to $517 million. This is well above the City’s original estimate of $300 million for construction. Flatiron Dragados Constructors, Inc. provided the lowest bid at approximately $398.5 million—almost $100 million more than projected by city planners.
Officials said that industry-wide factors such as supply chain issues, labor market pressures, and broader economic conditions have affected construction costs. They plan further outreach with contractors to better understand what contributed to these higher bids.
Assistant City Manager Ryan Moore said: “At this point, it’s truly shovel-ready. If we don’t move forward from here, it would be extremely difficult to get a project like this back to this stage in the future. This project remains a priority for the City and our regional partners as we work through funding challenges and move it forward.”
The new bridge design includes 12-foot shared-use paths for pedestrians and cyclists as well as wider lanes suitable for buses and emergency vehicles. The current I Street Bridge—built in 1911—will stay in place but will be converted into a crossing dedicated only to bicycles and pedestrians on its upper deck.
City staff are expected to recommend rejecting current bids due to cost concerns before returning later with refined bid documents after further consultation with contractors about market conditions. Work will continue with agencies such as the Sacramento Transportation Authority and Caltrans while evaluating possible adjustments in scope or approach.
A revised timeline is anticipated; environmental restrictions on river work mean construction may not begin until 2027.
