Inactive

Ponderosa Bridge (Bid Schedule A): The project scope includes replacing the Ponderosa Way Bridge and minor roadway improvements of approximately 2.4 miles of Ponderosa Way. The project is in Placer Co... Ponderosa Bridge (Bid Schedule A): The project scope includes replacing the Ponderosa Way Bridge and minor roadway improvements of approximately 2.4 miles of Ponderosa Way. The project is in Placer County, California, located about 2.5 miles east of the town of Applegate and about 12 miles northeast of Auburn. The Ponderosa Way Bridge connects Ponderosa Way across the North Fork American River on Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) owned and maintained lands. A portion of the roadway to be improved also traverses lands owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Recreational use of the area is provided through a partner agreement with the California Department of Parks and Recreation (as part of the Auburn State Recreation Area). The project proposes the replacement of the existing structurally deficient, single-lane bridge with a new bridge designed for improved scour resistance and to meet current design loading standards and turning movement requirements for essential vehicles, such as fire trucks. The new bridge is anticipated to be three-span, approximately 223 feet in length, and would be located immediately downstream so that its piers are positioned away from the scour prone area. A longer main span of approximately 157 feet in length is proposed so all or nearly all of the new bridge substructure is above the ordinary high-water elevation. The new bridge is anticipated to be single lane, with a centerline offset about 21 feet west of the existing structure. The immediate roadway approaches would be reconstructed to tie-in to the new bridge crossing, and most of the existing bridge would be demolished and removed. Portions of the existing substructure will be left in place to preserve parking capacity. In addition, the base of the existing bridge footing located in the river channel is anticipated to be left in place. As of July 2020, Reclamation has closed the bridge to vehicular traffic due to its poor condition and pier undermining. The project also includes minor roadway improvements to approximately 2.4 miles of Ponderosa Way to improve driving surface conditions and correct drainage issues. Work includes the addition of aggregate surfacing material when needed and re-grading the roadway to improve the unpaved driving surface at areas where the roadway has begun to wash out and/or erode. Aggregate surfacing material may be sourced on site at isolated locations adjacent to the roadway. Noted drainage issues would be addressed through regrading and culvert cleanout or replacement, where necessary. A total of 10 culverts are anticipated for replacement, and one new culvert would be installed to facilitate drainage and correct erosion issues. Mountain Quarry Bridge (Bid Option X): The project scope includes safety and drainage improvements to the Mountain Quarry Bridge (also referred to as the No Hands Bridge) in Placer and El Dorado Counties, California. The Mountain Quarry Bridge Project crosses the North Fork of the American River roughly 1.5 miles to the northeast of the town center of Auburn, California. The bridge spans between, and includes area within, both Placer County (to the west) and El Dorado County (to the east). The bridge, federally owned and maintained by Reclamation, is located directly south of State Route (SR) 49 in the Auburn State Recreation Area and is used daily as a pedestrian and equestrian bridge as part of the Western States Trail to Calcutta Falls. The project includes safety improvements to the Mountain Quarries Bridge to correct issues associated with inadequate deck drainage and a safety railing that does not conform to standards appropriate for its current function. Mountain Quarries Bridge is an earth fill concrete arch bridge with an aggregate base rock deck surface. A noted safety issue for trail users is water ponding on the deck surface up to one foot deep. This is a safety issue for authorized users, and the ponding also attracts skim boarders who use the bridge for this potentially hazardous and unauthorized activity. There is also earth fill material at the downstream right abutment (when facing downstream) that is slowly eroding. The steel pipe railing is not consistent with railing height and opening design criteria, which is a safety concern due to the significant height of the bridge and risky behavior of unauthorized trail users. A chain link mesh was added in 2018 as a temporary safety improvement. The project will address the drainage issues on the Mountain Quarry Bridge and its approaches by regrading and/or replenishing the aggregate deck surface to prevent ponding and by stabilizing the trail surface near the ends of the bridge. Trail stabilization would involve minor excavation of the aggregate surface material, installation of reinforced concrete slabs at the ends of the southeast and northwest wingwalls, and trail surfacing replenishment and regrading to achieve a positive drainage path. The project will also remove the existing inadequate safety railing that was installed in 1984 and replace it with a new rail system that is consistent with current design standards. The existing rail is anchored into concrete curbs using cored and grouted holes. To remove the railing, the steel railing posts will be cut off level with the curb and the holes filled with non-shrink grout to minimize rusting and spalling of concrete. These and all repairs and modifications recommended are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (36 CFR 67). To provide for safe pedestrian and equestrian trail use, a new rail 54-inches tall would be installed with a rub rail height of 42 inches. The replacement railing would extend approximately 632 feet along both sides of the bridge. For additional safety, a “no climb” rectangular mesh is proposed. This type of mesh has small enough openings between wires to prevent a toe hold. Steel tube railing posts up to 3 inches wide would be located approximately every 7 to 10 feet, with similarly sized steel tubes used for a horizontal rail cap. The steel railing posts would be set in an excavated hole filled with concrete and located inside of the existing concrete bridge curb. Each post’s concrete footing would be mechanically attached to the inside face of the curb, below the top of finished grade and visible ground surface, with four small drilled and grouted dowel bars (sized less than one inch in diameter). Components of the new railing system are anticipated to be constructed of galvanized steel and would appear visually similar to the current 1984 steel railing, which is not character-defining to the structure. Construction access would be provided by the pedestrian/equestrian trail approaching the Mountain Quarries Bridge, with staging and stockpiling of materials/equipment anticipated along the trail as well as along the shoulders of nearby SR 49. SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES: Schedule A Ponderosa Bridge: Significant items include (quantities are subject to change): Removal and replacement of 1 bridge (Ponderosa Way Bridge Bridge) 190 Cubic Yards of embankment construction 230 Cubic Yards of structural excavation 160 Cubic Yards of structural backfill 100 Cubic Yards of Class 2, Method B placed riprap 4,600 Cubic Yards of roadway aggregate, method 2 2.38 miles of roadbed reconditioning 269 Cubic Yards of Structural Concrete, Class A (AE) 33,700 Pounds of reinforcing steel 41,800 Pounds of epoxy coated reinforcing steel 137,400 Pounds of Structural Steel, furnished, fabricated, and erected 453 linear feet of steel bridge railing 406 linear feet of 24 inch pipe culverts 0.50 acres of seeding and mulching 13 sign systems Option X Mountain Quarry Bridge: – Significant items include (quantities are subject to change): 1,241 linear feet of bride railing removal 550 Cubic Yards of roadway excavation 10 Cubic Yards of structural excavation and backfill 450 Tons of Roadway Aggregate, Method 2 (Decomposed Granite) 200 pounds of reinforcing steel 1,241 linear feet of bridge railing ENGINEER’S ESTIMATE: The project engineer’s estimate for Schedule A is approximately $4M to $6M The project engineer’s estimate for Option X is approximately $400,000 to $600,000 CONSTRUCTION DURATION: Tentative start date is May 2022 and estimated completion date is January 2024 for Bid Schedule A and March 2024 for Bid Option X. FUNDING SOURCE: This project funded through the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP), which is allocated from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and funding provided by the BOR. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR NOTICE Anticipated advertisement in March 2022. Anticipated bid opening April 2022 Anticipated Award in April 2022 Anticipated Notice to Proceed in May 2022