Novato project to rebuild Grant Avenue bridge begins
The span near Eighth Street will be 23.5 feet wider, 70 feet longer and have new bicycle lanes and a new pedestrian walkway.
Work is underway to rebuild the Grant Avenue bridge near downtown Novato.
The effort, 15 years in the making, aims to improve the span over Novato Creek between Eighth Street and Virginia Avenue.
Built in 1936, the 36-foot-long bridge will widened by 23.5 feet, lengthened to about 70 feet and have new bicycle lanes and a new pedestrian walkway.
Pedestrian traffic is currently limited to the north end of the span. A pedestrian bridge on the south side was removed in 2005 after it deteriorated beyond repair.
The intention of the project is to improve street conditions and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, said Gosia Woodfin, a city engineer.
“Everything is going well and started on time. The work is progressing,” Woodin said.
The effort, which began on April 1, will cost $3.65 million, which includes a $3.2 million grant and an approximately 11% match from the city, she said. Work is expected to continue weekdays through January 2025.
The bridge remains open in both directions for motorists. The city has no plan to close the span completely during the work, though there will be an eastbound lane closure at some point, Woodfin said.
Much of the work completed thus far has been preparatory, such as putting up signs to inform the public of the project and preparing to begin heavy equipment work. The team also met with a wildlife biologist who will make regular trips to the site to monitor for potential impacts to birds and other fauna, Woodfin said.
Kevin Brady of Minerva Construction, a San Francisco general contractor, said the company began mobilizing equipment on Monday.
“We are excited to get started on this project,” he said.
Sunny Jhutti of Substrate Inc., the Novato construction manager on the project, said the effort has been in the works for years. In 2009, Caltrans told the city the guardrails required upgrades to meet current state standards.
Funds to design a new bridge were granted in 2015. Permit acquisition was completed in 2019. Construction funds were received in November.
Once complete, the project will double the width of the bridge, Jhutti said.
“It’s sort of a strange, y-shaped intersection,” Jhutti said. “The new bridge will increase mobility and connectivity for bicyclists and motorists and even add a new pedestrian walkway on the other side of the bridge.”
The new bridge will use slabs of concrete and air-filled voids to reduce the weight of the bridge. The foundation will include six, 36 inch-diameter piles drilled approximately 45 feet deep.
The new bridge will have scour countermeasures to protect the bridge foundations, Jhutti said.